The Witch and the Medjai
by MWolfe13
Summary: It's the chance of a lifetime, Warding THE Hamunaptra against future discovery. (Will think of better summary in the future) T for now.
1. Chapter 1

**Welcome to the only Mummy/Harry Potter Crossover I will ever do. Probably. Hopefully.**

**Before you start reading, please note that I have no real working knowledge of anything Egyptian. I have basically googled my way through this, and improvised (added or taken away) when I wanted to. A good deal of this is completely made up. Just thought I'd give fair warning. Also, I am terrible at writing slow burn and I didn't even try with this one. Hermione/Ardeth full on ahead was my Muse's wish. This fic may contain triggers, I have no clue yet. I will let you know at the beginning if there are possible triggers for said chapter.  
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**I hope you enjoy. Let me know what you think in the reviews! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything pertaining to The Mummy franchise. I've just combined their sandboxes and jumped in.**

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**Chapter 1**

"They are getting close."

The raven-haired man stared out at the desert, thinking over the armies that searched for things they were better off leaving alone. "Yes, but they will kill each other before we must do it."

"But this is not the first group to almost find Hamunaptra," the other man insisted. "More and more come like mindless animals, treasure hunters who seek to take what is not theirs."

He turned to face his companion, an eyebrow raised. "You think the ancient protections are failing?"

There was a scoff of disbelief. "You don't? It is written, clear as day, that the magic must be renewed every one hundred years. We have not had a magic-user among us in centuries."

"Be careful with your words, my friend," he warned. "You know of the incident that happened long ago. It is still a sore subject among many of the families."

"Will we still be careful with our words when the protections fail? When droves come to pilfer what is ours to protect?"

"Just because I said to have care does not mean I think you are wrong." The man turned his horse, lifting his arm to signal his falcon back. "I have someone I can contact."

"The others will not be happy."

In that, they were in agreement.

* * *

Hermione smiled as she walked into her office, pleased to see the redhead sitting on the edge of her desk. "Bill! It's so great to see you."

Bill Weasley grinned at the brunette, opening his arms up as she raced into them for one of her signature hugs. "Hello, Mione. I was hoping to catch you before you left for the day."

"Oh you know me," Hermione laughed as she stepped away from the hug. She flicked her hand in the direction of the tea service. "The work of an Auror is never done, and I so hate to take paperwork home when I can help it. Tea?"

She settled behind her desk, blowing on the hot liquid when the cup landed carefully in her hands. She was honestly surprised to see Bill. After his divorce from Fleur, he'd made Egypt his home base. It was where Gringotts sent him the most, so the decision made sense to Hermione even if she was sad he wasn't around much. She'd never have imagined being close to Ron's oldest brother, but being an Auror with the ICW required her to take a concentration and she'd chosen Curse Breaking. It had allowed them to forge a bond that never would have existed otherwise.

"I hear Kingsley is having you work with the Ministries Auror candidates."

She rolled her eyes. "Harry doesn't want to, says he'll fail the lot of them if they send in one more batch that has no brains to fill a jar. It is technically in my list of duties to help the Ministry I am based in when it does not interfere with my responsibilities as an International Auror. I'll help them until another case lands on my desk, and gratefully leave Harry to suffer."

"How do you normally get your cases? Do you get to pick them?"

Hermione frowned, taking one more sip before setting the cup down. "Well, they're usually assigned, but I can take something on when it comes my way first." Her eyes narrowed. "Do you have something for me?"

Bill produced bundled pieces of parchment, handing it over to Hermione for her to read over as they talked. "As you know, I have contacts all over Egypt. One of them came to me with a matter of importance, but I wouldn't let him tell me exactly what the problem was. You know the oaths I made to Gringotts, and you'll see what they protect in the file. I told him I would send him the most qualified person I know."

She raised her eyes to his briefly at the compliment, but quickly looked back down to the parchment. "I see why this would be a problem. I've heard of it, of course, but the fact that it's been hidden all this time has turned it more into myth now. You do realize that the-"

Bill held up a hand before she could continue, speaking to get her attention. "I can't know anything else, Mione. I need to be able to swear under oath that I have no knowledge of this."

"Yet you're giving me research with a Gringotts stamp on it."

"I am only behaving in compliance with the section under Gringotts written agreement with the ICW that any employee of their fine banking establishment cooperate with their Auror's, and submit any written research they require should they ask." He winked at her. "I'm certain the Auror who requested such information on this Egyptian legend will let me leave with the right paperwork to also be in compliance with Gringotts request that such things be on record for liabilities sake."

Hermione was grinning at him now. "You know I find it hot when you talk that way."

"I know," he chuckled. "Will you do it?"

She nodded, already flipping to the next page. "Please, you know you had me the moment I stepped into my office."

The next day Hermione traveled with Bill via Portkey after cheerfully telling Harry he was stuck training recruits on his own. They looked like a tough pair exiting Egypt's main Ministry building; dressed all in black, dragonhide boots and jackets, wands disguised as Muggle guns at their side. Hermione had piled her hair up into a high ponytail, the heat unbearable from what she remembered. They each carried a simple backpack, a staple in a Curse Breakers job.

Bill's contact was waiting for them down the street from the building. He was covered in black from head to toe, weapons visibly strapped to his body. No one bat an eyelash at him, each going their own way and ignoring him. It made Hermione suspicious, certain there was magic at work here.

"Ardeth," Bill greeted with a firm handshake. "May I present Hermione Granger. Mione, this is Ardeth Bay, one of the leaders of the Medjai."

She gave him a brief smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

He nodded to her in return. "I am happy you were able to respond so quickly. The-"

"And this is where I take my leave," Bill interrupted. "I'll leave you to it, Mione. Come by the flat when you're finished. I'll have the spare ready."

Hermione hugged him, bussing his cheek when they pulled away. "Take out?"

"You read my mind."

They waited until Bill was out of sight, Hermione gesturing for Ardeth to continue. "As I was saying, the two armies are racing against each other to make it to Hamunaptra. We must not allow them to disturb the city."

She gestured to the jeep he was leaning against. "Is this our ride?"

"Yes. Come, I will fill you in as we drive."

Hermione listened as he drove, the man weaving through pedestrians and traffic like a professional. It seemed Hamunaptra had been under some of the standard Wards seen today to discourage visitors and discovery by all but the Medjai, but the protection had been failing as more and more people discovered it. She knew the legends centered around the fabled city, clues Muggles relied on to find this great treasure, and wondered at the sources. There was not a great deal of information available, even with Gringotts investigating.

It struck her as odd considering the rich magical history surrounding the great city. The magical advancements made there had been ahead of its time. They'd had a connection to powers she knew her own country's Department of Mysteries would die to get their hands on. They had the Death Arch, yes, but the Egyptians had been rumored to have possessed a way into the Underworld itself. Hamunaptra was also the supposed location of the Book of Amun-Ra and the Book of the Dead, devastating magic that was mostly illegal in this day and age.

They stopped a couple of miles outside the city when the road became too dangerous for them to venture farther on wheels. She spotted a horse, saddled and waiting. Just one.

Ardeth noticed as well, grimacing as they exited the car. "I apologize. Not everyone is happy you are here."

She lifted a brow at his words. "Oh? Should I expect trouble when we meet up with your people?"

He laid a hand on her shoulder, taking her question seriously by the look in his eyes. "Do not worry. I will protect you." He glanced up at the sun. "You might want to cover your head. The sun is not forgiving, especially on those with fair skin like yours."

Hermione unstrapped her backpack, digging through the enchanted space until she found what she was looking for. Taking it out, she ignored Ardeth's wide eyes as she fashioned the lightweight cloth around her head. "Shall we?"

He assisted her onto the back of the horse before climbing on himself. Hermione slipped her arms around his waist, keeping her grip loose enough so that she wouldn't betray her slight anxiety at being on an animal. Even after all the time, riding creatures of any kind still gave her a moment's pause. Maybe it was her experiences as a child, but her body and mind always expected the worst to happen,

She needed the distraction once they started, never realizing the horse's gait would be jumpy over the sand. She should have figured though; the ground was not smooth at all. "From what I understand, the basic protections wearing off now are ones we use today. Unless someone is determined to breach them, they would need to be renewed every generation or risk them weakening until they collapsed. That's likely what's happening now."

"Yes, that is also what we suspect. With no magic user to add to…"

"The Wards," she supplied.

"Right. We were told they must be renewed every century, but there has been no renewal for three hundred years."

Hermione's mouth dropped open in shock. And the Wards had lasted this long without dissipating completely? "That's incredible. I imagine the magic users must have come from your people given what I know about the protections erected, and they must have had exceptional magic output to cast Wards so strong. What happened to them?"

"It is a painful event in our history, one we don't need to focus on at the moment." His voice was gruff, face stoic. "What will you do when we get to the city?"

She frowned at his change of subject. "Well, I can't do anything until the Muggles clear out of there. I can key these new Wards to the Medjai, but no one else can be on the grounds or they will still know the location. Plus, setting the Wards will kick them out and I don't want Muggle deaths on my hand because the magical backlash killed them."

"Unfortunately, they will kill each other without our interference. Greed has always made the weak-minded thirsty for blood."

They traveled for another two hours before coming upon a group of men dressed like Ardeth observing something below them. The sounds of gunshots and cries could be heard in the distance. The armies that prompted her visit in the first place had already started fighting.

One man turned to greet him, stopping at the sight of her sitting behind him. He eyed her with distaste, speaking to Ardeth in a different language. Unfortunately for him she was well-versed in multiple languages, a requirement of her job, and understood his words. "Are you sure she should be here? Their kind cannot be trusted. How do we know she will not turn on us?"

She felt Ardeth tense and answered before he could reply. She could protect herself. "I'm actually one of the only Curse Breakers you'll be able to trust since I technically work for your government, and not a privately owned company."

Ardeth turned his head to look at her in surprise. "You understand our language."

"And speak as well," she said with a disdainful look in the other man's direction. "There are many aspects to Curse Breaking. Learning multiple languages, especially old ones, is one of them."

His smirk was small when he turned back around, and she felt weirdly pleased when he laid his hand over the ones around his waist.

"The fighting has died down," someone remarked. "The survivors are fleeing."

Hermione wiggled closer, leaning into Ardeth so she could peek over his shoulder. She bit her lip as he tensed, her breath catching when he eyed her from the corner of his eye. She focused on the lone man stumbling out of the city ruins, trying not to ponder why her heartbeat sped up being this close to a man she'd just met. "Is he the last?"

"Yes. All that is left is the dead."

Well, that was a cheery thought. "I'll head down there now then. I'll work on finding the best spot for these Wards while you catch up."

Before they could ask what she meant by that, Hermione set her sights on a pillar just inside the forgotten city and apparated. She breathed through her nose, letting the tube-like sensation fade away before bringing out her wand. She felt a little bad about possibly startling the poor horse, but Ardeth's hair had shifted into her face a bit and the scent had almost made her move even closer so she could take it in before coming to her senses. Honestly, she was hoping her hormones-which she now deemed were acting up at the most inappropriate of times-would settle right back down.

She was reading through a particular inscription on an intact pillar when they finally caught up with her. She ignored them when one cleared his throat, her mind working through the translation. She pursed her lips when she was done, nodding to herself as she walked in a circle around the pillar.

"Have you found anything?"

She looked up at Ardeth. "What is the symbol of your group?"

The man from earlier came forward, an unhappy frown on his face. "Why do you need to know that?"

Hermione cast her eyes to the sky for patience. "This pillar is a little wider than the rest, which caused some suspicion on my part as soon as I realized it. After more examination, I recognized some of the Ancient Egyptian symbols for 'path' and 'hidden'. I've seen something of the like in other structures as old as this one. It is more than likely that the Medjai of the time, if they were the ones who first warded this city, had a hidden entrance to get to the room with the most potential for the Wards to expand from; The heart of the city if you will. I'm guessing the symbol of the Medjai is the one I need to find to open the entrance."

"You will need to go into the ruins?" There was some grumbling as this was asked. They were not pleased.

She huffed, "Well, I could cast the Wards from here, but I was under the impression you wanted the protections reinstated properly. That won't happen if I don't do them from where they're dissipating from."

"Peace, my friends," Ardeth placated even as he strode over to her. "She has come here as a favor to us. Let us not forget that." He pulled the leather cuff at his wrist down, showing her a single tattoo etched into the skin. "Is this familiar?"

"Yes, actually, that's right over-" She stopped cold when a chill passed through her. A heaviness pressed down on her, low hissing entering her mind. She stumbled a bit, leaning against the closest thing for support, the pillar from the feel of rough stone.

Ardeth crouched in front of her in alarm, eyes scanning her for any sign of injury. "Are you alright?"

"I…" She stood as the feeling passed. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. It was as if…" She smiled a little, trying to reassure them. She couldn't go spouting off things about feeling evil. They were already wary about her. "It must be the heat."

"Of course, I apologize." He gave her a concerned look. "I mentioned the sun was not forgiving. I should have taken more care with you."

She sighed, "I'll be fine. I promise, I've been in worse conditions than this." Instantly putting the feeling out of her mind, she turned back to the pillar. "Now where was I…Here!" She quickly found the inscription they needed. She let her magic flow from her core to her fingers, watching the magic flow into the symbol. It glowed a bright white, the pillar shimmering to reveal an impossibly wide set of stairs inside the post. She sent the men behind her a smug look before venturing inside.

She kept her wand out, the same detection spell cast every ten feet. She would hope the Medjai from generations past would not have booby-trapped their own secret entrance, but one could never be too careful.

Her caution was rewarded when her detection spell rebounded with a warning. Hermione signaled for everyone to stop, already casting the follow up spell. Multiple stairs lit up in front of them, surprising Hermione. There was no pattern. They all glowed with the light signifying a trap. She looked at Ardeth. "Why would your people set a trap for any who came down? This entrance had to be a closely guarded secret; it's nowhere in my notes from my own people. Yet, one step without disarming the trap will have consequences for us."

The men all shared a look, faces grim, but did not answer her question.

She crossed her arms, unimpressed by this display of solidarity. "Am I missing something important?"

"Do we have to turn back?" Ardeth countered.

Inwardly seething, she sent him a cool look before turning back around. "I'll have this undone in a bit. Why don't you step back and secretly discuss what's obviously none of my business while I make sure we don't die horrible deaths."

There was only a slight hesitation before the group was shuffling further up the stairs, murmuring in low voices. Hermione started the process of dismantling this trap and the subsequent curses she found after a more in-depth scan, trying her hardest not to cast a spell to eavesdrop on their conversation. She _hated_ when she wasn't presented with all the information. It made her job more difficult, not to mention her instincts more wary of people who already did not like her. What would they have done if she hadn't been paranoid and cast detection spells from the start?

Fallen through a chasm to the bottom of this blasted place with the added benefit of normal rescue charms not working from the looks of her diagnostic. Merlin, whoever had placed this must have realized no one would come to place Wards after them. At least, no one who was supposed to.

Hermione lowered her wand, refusing to turn around as she addressed them. "All done. I don't think there will be anymore after that lovely bit of magic, but I'll keep up the detection just in case." She walked down without getting any acknowledgment that they'd heard her.

They made it to the destination of this stairway without further traps or curses, the door sealed shut with a giant symbol of the Medjai in the middle. She poured some more magic onto the symbol, expecting it to open as the entrance had.

It didn't.

She tried again with the same results, and then a third time with a little more power. The door did not open, but she felt something else in the air. Her instincts screamed at her to stop what she was doing. Taking a step back, she cast her magic out in a simple searching spell, the theory behind it based on echolocation. The oppressive magic that came back robbed her of air, a warning and distinctive reminder that she technically did not belong. Running a hand down her face as she composed herself, she thought of other ways they would have gotten inside when the entrance was still active.

Ah. The answer was simple.

Stepping back up to the door, she ran her finger along the sigil, smiling slightly at the grooves in the stone. Ancient structures and blood magic, they always went hand in hand.

She pivoted on her heel, reaching for Ardeth's hand. He was the closest to her, and also the only one she was willing to touch. "I need your blood." She rolled her eyes at the horrified gasps, pulling a now hesitant Ardeth forward. "Your ancestors had a failsafe installed should any Witch or Wizard that wasn't Medjai come down this way. It will only open with Medjai blood." She grinned at him in reassurance. "Don't worry, it's just a prick and I'll heal it right after."

He seemed to hold his breath as she made a slight cut on his thumb with her wand. Hermione intertwined their fingers, bringing his bleeding thumb to the start of the emblem. She slowly traced, utterly aware that his eyes were locked on her. She tried to concentrate on her task, resisting the urge to look at him. He shuffled closer, almost leaning into her, their position turning until she was somewhat caged between him and the door. She stopped just before completing the pattern.

"Is something wrong?" he murmured. His head was bent, words whispered close to her ear.

A throat cleared.

She finished the symbol without answering, healing his cut while the door rumbled open. She was the first through the door, grateful she was the only one who could detect anything hidden.

She stopped as the latent magic washed over her.

"Oh Merlin," she murmured. Her eyes were wide as she stared at the history in front of her. Sarcophagi lined the walls on all sides, glowing crystals placed in the middle of each lid, pulsing with power. "So that's how they did it." There was a stone table in the middle of the room. She was sure that if she searched, she'd find a hidden compartment filled with the tools necessary for mummification.

"Even I can feel the power in this room," Ardeth muttered as he came up behind her.

She gave a breathless laugh, turning to him with eager eyes. "The Ancient Egyptians were way ahead of their time, in both Muggle and magical advancements." She pulled him towards one of the Sarcophagi, forgetting about everyone else in the room. "You see this crystal? Your people knew a way to capture the magic in a person when they died and before it vanished completely, preserving it in this crystal. They would cast the Wards, but the collective magic in this room is what made the Wards so powerful to protect an entire city without pause. It's quite brilliant."

Ardeth scoffed lightly though he was giving her a half-smile. "You knew all this from one glance around the room?"

"It all makes sense if you think about it," she defended her point. "The crystals are said-"

"Hush," he chuckled, pressing a finger to her lips. "I believe you. Bill said you were the most knowledgeable person he knew. I have no reason to doubt him."

She blushed lightly, suddenly becoming aware of how close they were standing, her hand in his while the other strayed from her lips to cup her cheek. She looked into his eyes, shivering slightly at the intensity of his gaze. She leaned into him, bringing her lips closer to his.

A gust of chilled air swept through the room, startling everyone.

Ardeth brought her into his arms, sharing a look with his brethren as they looked around in grim realization. Hermione squeezed her eyes shut when the familiar heaviness settled over her, her palms slapping over her ears when sudden hissed words went off like screams in her head. This wasn't the heat. She let her forehead drop onto Ardeth's chest, slamming hastily built walls over her mind, wincing at how crudely she'd used Occlumency. She was going to have a headache later.

"Something isn't right," she warned once the hissing stopped, and she was able to remove her palms from her ears.

"It is nothing for you to worry about." Ardeth rubbed a hand down her back, pulling her away and looking at her. "Do you have what you need to get started?"

Hermione stepped out of their shared space, talking as she walked to the stone table. "The Wards being cast have been used for a long time, but now that I know about the secret to their strong warding, I'm absolutely certain they would have left the formulas behind to make sure future generations were successful." She paused, looking back at the group of men that had congregated together to watch her work. "Others of my kind can't know about this."

"Not even Ardeth's friend who brought you to us in the first place?"

She shook her head instantly. "Especially not him. He is a good man, but he is bound by his magic to his employers and they are greedy sods. Even your government cannot know. The latent magic here is enormous, and I can guarantee someone will want it for their own gain." She ducked under the slab, starting her search for the compartment. "I will fudge the report I eventually file with my bosses, and give you an accurate account that your people can pass down to the next person who does this in another hundred years."

She couldn't see him, but Ardeth's voice was closer when he spoke. "We thank you, Hermione. Will you not get in trouble with your superiors over this?"

She spied a tiny hieroglyphic, would have missed it entirely were it not for her second pass over that area. "Not unless you tell him. Besides, this isn't the first time I've broken the rules, don't think it will be the last either. Ha! Got you."

It was a simple button press, no need for magic confirmation if you'd made it this far, she supposed. She heard a click and the smooth slide of a drawer. A hand reached down to help her out, one she accepted gratefully. Ardeth let her go once she stood, hovering behind her while she examined the drawer.

The tools she had expected were neatly lined on one side, clean and shiny as if they hadn't been used on dead bodies before now. Stacked in a column and tied with ribbon were multiple scrolls. She realized it had been a few centuries since they'd last been used. The preservation spells would need to be refreshed before moving forward. The last thing they needed would be for the fragile papyrus to crumble before she could memorize and cast the Wards.

She shook her shoulders, loosening the tension from the day. It was going to be a long couple of hours before they'd be able to leave. She hoped these Medjai were ready to wait in boredom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Posting early because tomorrow is dedicated to homework and I won't be able to touch fanfiction. I am currently operating on like two-three hours of sleep, so this was very quickly edited.**

**Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

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**Chapter 2**

It took her more than a couple of hours. Once each scroll had been put through the wringer of preservation and curse detection spells, Hermione had unfolded the first one and realized they were written in another Egyptian than she was prepared for. It took her an hour of translating to know without a doubt that they were dealing with Old Egyptian. It didn't take her brain long to switch gears from the later Egyptian dialect she'd been using before.

Once she was done reading, Hermione practiced the complicated wand movements associated with each spell. It was a throwback to her Hogwarts days, a habit she'd taken with her into adulthood. It felt like days had passed before she finally resurfaced from her study session, her back cracking from being hunched over for so long.

She caught Ardeth's eyes, the only male left awake after so long, and signaled him over. He walked over immediately, making as little noise as possible. "Is something wrong?"

Her eyes strayed to one scroll, rereading a passage before looking back up at him. "To renew the Wards, the caster has to sacrifice some blood before they begin casting. I'll have to spill a drop of blood on each of the crystals on the Sarcophagi."

His brows furrowed. "Do you have a problem spilling your blood here?"

She shook her head. "No, but once I do this, I will be added to the Wards completely. It means my blood will have the same acceptance properties yours does." She laughed on an exhale, grinning up at him. "Ancient societies and blood magic; It was very popular back in the day."

Ardeth studied her for a moment, startling her when he raised his thumb and rubbed just under her eye. "You are showing signs of exhaustion. Do we need to continue this another day?"

"No, I can get it done tonight, but I think I'll be almost useless after. Probably hungry."

He continued to stare at her; his thumb paused on her cheek. "I think I can manage to feed you."

"It's a date," she said. And then turned red in humiliation when she realized what she'd said. "I mean- Not a- I didn't mean-"

"It's a date," Ardeth agreed with a chuckle before turning and walking back to his post.

Shaking her head at herself, she set to work. The crystals pulsed when her blood hit each one in turn, magic swelling in the chamber until Hermione felt drunk off the excess. She stumbled back to the table when she was done, the rational part of her brain grateful she had practiced the incantations beforehand. It was quickly drowned out by the roar of magic that surrounded her in a cocoon until she felt like one with the Medjai of the past. Her conscious took a back seat, her body moving on reflex and instinct.

Later, she would only be able to say what she'd done because she'd read it in preparation for casting. The memory of the actual deed was hazy. She remembered lights and rumbles, power draining from her and into the chamber, the sudden intrusion of freezing alarm before another incantation sealed it away. Then she was falling, and arms were supporting her. Voices escalated in panic before an authoritative voice shut them up with a quick command. She was lifted, and the last clear thing she remembered was thinking they needed to seal the chamber the same way they came through before passing out.

* * *

When she woke, she was immediately aware she was back on the horse. Ardeth sat behind her, arms enclosed securely around her waist. Her back was pressed against his chest, head resting near his shoulder. The moon hung high in the sky, the glow more prominent with no lights shining from the cities.

"I sent a message to Bill and let him know you were exhausted. He should not expect you before tomorrow."

"And where are you taking me?" she asked as she turned a bit to curl into his warmth. She could go back to sleep, she was that tired. "Did someone seal the chamber back up?"

Ardeth chuckled, "Yes, we made sure to as you mentioned it twice before losing the fight to exhaustion." He paused. "That was quite a feat of magic. I am unfamiliar with most magicks, but I am sure I will never see something like that again."

She frowned. "I'm happy someone remembers it. I don't remember much after starting the blood ritual."

He looked down at her. "You started stumbling once you were mostly though the Sarcophagi. Your eyes glowed, and spark flew from your hair." He brought a hand up to wipe away some strands that managed to cling to his face. "You lost your scarf and hair tie to the magic. They burned in one quick burst of flame when the incantations started."

She grimaced at his words. That much output shouldn't be good for her. "Did anything else happen?"

He tightened the grip he had on the reins, causing the horse to protest and side step. "Check your pack when we stop for rest."

She was confused but nodded anyway. "Alright. What happened to the others?"

"They have gone ahead to wake one of the families with daughters in our village. They will let you stay with them for the night."

She balked at the idea. "No, that's fine. I don't want to be any trouble. I can apparate to Bill's, or I have my tent in my backpack."

His shook his head once, tightening his arms around her and staring forward. "You have done us a great favor by renewing the protections on Hamunaptra. This is the least we can do." He sent her a quick grin. "How else am I going to feed you if you don't enjoy our hospitality while you are still tired?"

Her eyes lit up at his words, but she was still wary about staying with strangers. They might share the opinions of the other men in her previous company. "Can't I just stay with you?"

"There would be disapproval. I would not shame you that way." He stayed silent for a while, his face thoughtful.

Hermione left him to his thoughts, her own mind wandering. She'd seen a magnificent piece of history today. Bill would be completely jealous to learn the entirety of her dealings in Hamunaptra. She was so sure she could recreate the images of the scrolls in her head. The ritual itself had been a blur, but the magic feeling before she lost control of her mind… And now she was forever part of Hamunaptra's Wards.

Ardeth spoke again when they could make out lights in the distance. "You feel it as well, don't you? This instant connection?"

She tilted her head up to find him looking down at her. "You mean the strong attraction that makes me want to take certain liberties at the most inappropriate times? Yes."

He chuckled, "If only you knew what I was thinking when you were in the middle of your spellcasting; hair down, body glowing, aura radiating throughout the room." He hesitated, bringing his horse to a stop and letting the reins fall. "Do you plan to stay in Egypt for a while?"

She bit her lip, mentally cataloging any work she had left to do back in England. "If I claim magic exhaustion, I can stay until they assign me a new case."

He used the arm around her to pull her closer to him, his face leaning down until their lips were only a few centimeters apart. "Stay."

"Okay," she agreed readily.

He closed the distance still left between them, Hermione's eyes fluttering shut as he kissed her. He wasted no time in tracing her lips with his tongue, silently asking her to open them. She didn't hesitate, the act one she'd been thinking about all day. Ardeth's other hand slid up the side of her shirt, hand splayed under her breast. The night chill meant nothing as her body began to heat from his touch. He wasn't touching her skin directly, fingers barely ghosting over her in mindless patterns, but she felt like she was on fire.

Her mind was a jumbled mess by the time they stopped, Ardeth pressing hard pecks to her lips before pulling away completely. They were breathing heavily, heated gazes bouncing between them. He'd tangled his hand in her hair at some point, his other hand still cupping the underside of her breast. She licked her lips, savoring the taste of him.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked in a breathless whisper.

He blew out a breath. "Because I did not want to." He tried to untangle his fingers from her hair. Hermione winced as the strands wrapped further around the digits, Ardeth unintentionally pulling while trying to get free. Eventually, with a little assistance from Hermione, he was able to liberate his hand. He kept her in a tight embrace, signalling the horse once to start walking again.

She tried to stay awake, but now that the arousal from earlier was fading away, the tired state of her body was taking over. She felt the hunger too, a deep rumbly feeling in the pit of her stomach, but Hermione knew she would not be able to eat until she'd slept some more.

She was barely coherent when she was introduced to the family she'd be staying with, Ardeth laying her on their couch while an older woman fretted over her. Hermione tried to tell them she was perfectly fine, but the lady wasn't having it. She bustled around the kitchen while Hermione dozed on the couch, the low grumble of men's voices lulling her into a deeper sleep. She stirred briefly when something was pressed into her hands, but she tired enough to let her magic levitate the item somewhere away from her.

There were gasps and Hermione was vaguely appalled at her rude manners, but she curled up on her temporary bed and let her mind slip into dreams.

* * *

The ICW gave her three months.

They'd been extremely interested in her report, but after further questioning and her insistence that the Medjai had not allowed her to see the remnants of the city from the inside, they'd ordered her to rest and would call her back into work when they needed her. She'd only felt marginally guilty about lying to them, they treated her with such trust and respect, but she'd promised Ardeth's people. She couldn't trust the Egyptian Ministry not to try and obtain the powerful magic for themselves. From a legal standpoint, she knew who would win that battle and it would not have been with the Medjai with no Witches or Wizards among them who could claim ownership.

The morning after she'd fallen asleep so abruptly, her first thought that came to mind had been checking her backpack like Ardeth had told her. Inside, neatly contained in a pile, had been the scrolls from the chamber and the tools used for mummification. Upon further inspection-after she'd panicked and cast diagnostic spells to found some that hadn't been touched by her magic-she realized one scroll was the schematics to the construction of the Sarcophagi. Ardeth explained to her later that while he was picking her up after the Warding, everyone had floated from the table to her bag. It was his belief, one shared by the Elders, that they were meant to go into her safe keeping until they were needed again. She, on the other hand, thought her magic had reacted to her burning need to have them and had taken them while she wasn't there to control the impulse.

She didn't tell him that.

They went into her academic vault at Gringotts, where she tended to store things she found during the course of her job. They wouldn't be needed for at least a hundred years anyway.

Ardeth had kept his promise and fed her. One meal had led to two, and then another, and then they'd progressed to spending hours in each other's company. She stayed with Bill during her time in Egypt, Ardeth familiar with the redhead's flat after a while. The connection they'd forged instantly during their time in Hamunaptra only grew stronger as the days passed. Ardeth had been sent on a scouting expedition for two weeks, and they'd stayed in contact through letters, his falcon always finding her, even when she entered many of Egypt's magical gateways.

Hermione was toying with the leather cuff on her wrist, a surprise gift from Ardeth after her first month in Egypt, when a recognizable owl caught her eye. It landed on the open window sill of Bill's flat, envelope attached to its claws. She gave the bird a quick stroke down its wing, drawing the secret pattern used by the International Auror's for correspondence. The owl acknowledged the signal by releasing the letter into her grasp, hopping over to the bowl of treats and water set out of them.

She noticed the handwriting on the front belonged to her immediate supervisor. Opening the note, she read it, grimacing at the lack of detail. They'd be sending her a case file for pick up at the ministry here in Egypt. She was to set out in three days.

A knock on the door sounded, Hermione stuffing the note in the pocket of her trousers. She opened the door, smiling when Ardeth drew her into his arms and kissed her. He was taking her back to his village for a celebration, one she'd been looking forward to. It had been slow going, earning the trust of his people. She'd concluded something bad must have happened with a magic user in the past for them to be so openly hostile and wary. She hadn't pried, hoping Ardeth would tell her in time. It had to have been a terrible event for the magic to have left this tribe completely. But after three months no one had opened up to her, and she'd decided to leave it until she couldn't anymore. It had been more important to her at the time to get them all to like her.

They drew apart, Hermione smiling happily at him. She'd never felt this way about anyone before, this deep happy feeling at the thought of him by her side. She'd finally taken the plunge and had written Harry and Ron about him. She felt they were sliding into something more serious, permanent, and she hadn't wanted to leave her two boys in the dark. Hermione was hoping to convince him to take some time in the UK to meet her friends and family.

"Are you ready to leave?"

She held her hand out, wand flying into her hand before taking his outstretched one. She felt the locks engage as soon as she closed the door, a handy spell built into the flat's Wards. Her new assignment was in the back of her mind, a silent reminder that she would have to leave in a few days. Really, she was surprised they'd waited this long before assigning her a new case. She'd always had a new one within a week of closing the previous one. She'd been itching to get back out there, her magic thrumming under her skin with the little use it had gotten lately. But she'd been so happy to have this time off, getting to know Ardeth, falling for him.

Still, this new case better be a good one or she was going to have to challenge someone to a duel before her magic started protesting.

Hermione was greeted warmly by some, hesitantly by a few others, and a few simply gave her curt nods when they arrived. The ones with the curt nods seemed to her like they'd be forever wary. Ardeth explained they were normally very welcoming, but she didn't see it. They never tried to pick a fight though, and it allowed her to ignore them as they tried to do her.

She gave Ardeth a cheeky grin as she was pulled away by Rehema, the woman who's couched she'd so rudely crashed on. He just watched the scene fondly, only turning away when one of them from the group that disliked her pulled him away to talk. She frowned at the serious face that overtook his welcoming one. That usually meant he had to check in on one of the landmarks they protected.

Later that evening, they finally had some time to themselves after people kept pulling them in different directions. She was silent, trying to find the right time to let him know she was leaving. He was equally silent, but that wasn't unusual. Of the two of them, she was the one who spoke the most.

"There is something I have to tell you."

They said it at the same time, startling the other when their voices mingled. Hermione snorted a moment later, shaking her head at their timing. "You go first."

Ardeth grabbed her hand, tangling his fingers with hers. "There was sign of activity in the heart of the ruins of Thinis. I must go make sure no one has found entry into the ancient tombs."

Hermione let out a laugh of disbelief, her free hand coming up to cover her face. "Thinis is supposed to be a myth."

"Your myth, our duty."

She let her hand fall, leaning her head against his shoulder. "How long will you be gone?"

"I do not know. Hermione…" Ardeth wrapped an arm around her, bringing her closer and making sure she was standing in front of him. "You know you hold my heart. I think it is safe to say that I am not alone in thinking we may one day be married."

Her thoughts on ancient cities crashed to a halt at his words. She swallowed, gathering the courage to keep the conversation going even as her heart thundered in her chest. "Yes. I was hoping that would be the eventual outcome."

"I would like to do it." He cleared his throat, a nervous look entering his eyes. "Marry you. I would like to marry you when I get back."

Seeing his nervousness lessened some of the shock she was feeling at his words. She chuckled, not noticing until then that tears had started running down her face. "Is that your way of asking me?"

Ardeth brought his hand up to her face, swiping at the tears on her cheeks with his thumb. "Why are you crying?"

"They're happy tears," she reassured him. His eyes lit up at her words, her sweet grin the response. "Ask me."

"You'll marry me?"

Her laugh was wet. "Close enough." She wrapped her arms around his neck, rising on her toes to kiss him. "Yes, I'll marry you."

He murmured something in Arabic that she didn't hear, her mind racing even as his arms brought her closer and he closed his mouth over hers. They were getting married. Oh, the boys were going to go ballistic when they found out. But who cared? She was getting married to this man that made her heart go wild, the source of the butterflies that never left her stomach. When he returned, she would insist everyone come down and meet him. Things would…

She was leaving herself, for possibly a more extended period than him.

She pulled back, but Ardeth followed her, backing them up until she felt the barrier of a wall between her back and his arms. His kiss was more demanding than before, his tongue finding hers instantly. They'd kept things somewhat chaste when out in public, reserving what she deemed heavier snogging for when they were alone in Bill's flat. He was pressing against her now, Hermione moaning into his mouth at the feel of him against her. She spread her legs farther, his body following the silent cue. Ardeth ran his hand down her back to her thigh, jerking her up so that he could press as far as he could without being inside of her. She let her head fall back, breaking the kiss on another moan. He dropped his face to her neck, nipping it with quick suckling bites and soothing it with his tongue moments later.

They stayed like that, the atmosphere heavy around them, harsh breathing and desperate groans the only sounds. Hermione was rubbing herself against him, aching with the need to have him inside of her. They were so close already; the only barriers were their clothes at this point.

She made a sound of protest when he pulled away, reaching for him when she saw the look in his eyes. They were full of desire, his body still pressed against hers. He clearly didn't want to stop.

He shook his head, untangling her hands from his hair-when had that happened?- and bringing them to his lips to press small kisses on her knuckles. "The first time I take you will be when we are husband and wife. Soon, my love, soon."

His words were like a bucket of ice water, making her curse internally. Damn her body and this insane attraction she had to the man in front of her. "I've been given my next assignment. I leave in three days," she blurted out in a hurry.

Ardeth looked at her in shock. "When did you find this out?"

"Today." She bit her lip. "I don't know what it is yet. I must go to the Ministry here and pick up the case file. Normally, when that happens, it means it's sensitive enough that my magic needs to be verified before the file will be given to me. I'm not sure how long this will take."

"You are leaving Egypt?"

"Maybe?" Hermione shrugged. "I won't know anything until I see the file sent by my bosses." She looked down. "You will probably make it back before me."

Ardeth tipped her chin up with his fingers, his expression grim. "I will admit, I do not like the thought of you leaving. Bill has told me what being an Auror means. You face far too much danger for my comfort."

"I was an Auror when you met me," she pointed out.

"I did not love you then."

She smiled gently at him. "I still need to leave. I'm a good Auror, Ardeth. I do a lot of good in my position."

He studied her, his gaze intense, his eyes solemn as they stared into hers. Finally, he said, "We'll do a betrothal ceremony." It wasn't a question. "They are typically done when the engagement might be a long one. I think we qualify."

She pulled one of her hands from his grip, reaching up to rub at the hair on his jawline. "I won't be gone for years, Ardeth. It will be a few months at most." She hoped.

"Do this for me," he insisted. "You will leave with my ring on your finger, and I will pray you come back to me without harm."

"I need to leave in three days," she warned him.

The ceremony came together quickly. She'd sent a quick note to her friends about what was happening but knew none of them would make it on time. Bill was her only support, having volunteered to help him pick out rings. She was glad she didn't really need to plan anything because when she'd gone to the Ministry to pick up her case file, she'd found out something that had rocked her to the core.

It hadn't been a case waiting for her, but a capture order. The magically bound folder had been thick, familiar handwriting at the top detailing the last inscriber and case number, hers. She knew that case number. If she flipped to the very beginning of this criminal's record, she'd find Alastor Moody's cramped scrawl. Her job at the time had been to compile a list of crimes no one had bothered to track when he'd escaped from Azkaban and file his record under deceased. She'd done that. She'd gotten the account of his demise from Professor Flitwick himself.

Yet Antonin Dolohov had been spotted multiple times in Norway, Iceland, and Scandinavia.

She'd found that information in the almost empty second folder, Theodore Nott Jr being the investigating Auror. She'd known he'd been offered a position with the ICW after the repeated Hogwarts year, but she'd thought he had turned it down to become a healer. Or maybe he had taken it and did his concentration in emergency medicine. That could have been it. Either way, she hadn't heard a word about him in years.

He would be meeting her at Dolohov's first sighting, a crumbling mass of rock in Iceland.

It was safe to say she was distracted when the door to the room Rehema was kind enough to let her get ready in gently opened, a mop of dark hair popping in. "Anyone home?"

She whirled around, eyes wide and lips pulling it a large smile. "Harry!" He barely had time to step into the room and close the door before she was landing in his arms. "Oh Harry! I missed you!"

"Oh, I can tell," he teased. "First you leave me with the miserable job of teaching idiots, and then you decide to not come home for three months. Now I hear you've decided to marry some dude from another country." He rolled his eyes. "Any other news I should know about?"

"Antonin Dolohov is still alive," she told him before groaning and banging her head on his shoulder.

"What?" Harry was utterly blindsided, his shock so great he didn't stop her from accidentally hitting his collarbone with her forehead, the both of them springing back with pained yelps. "What? Dolohov is alive? Bloody hell, woman, that hurt."

"Shh!" Hermione admonished him. "No one can know, and you know Bill will tell the entire family. Man can't keep his mouth shut."

"I wonder why," he glared at her. "He only tells on you when you do something crazy and dangerous."

She rolled her eyes, sniffing with her nose in the air like she smelled something foul. "Like you're one to talk, Harry James Potter."

"Mione, Antonin Dolohov is evil."

"I'm aware."

"The file on him is bursting at the seams."

"They've started a new one for that exact reason. I'm sure that's some kind of record."

Harry exploded. "And he's been bloody obsessed with you since we were teenagers! He killed your parents!"

The look she sent him was cool. "Thank you for the reminder, Harry. I don't know how I could have forgotten."

"You're missing my point," he grit out.

She threw her hands up in the air, starting to pace as she ranted at him. "What do you expect me to do? I can't turn down the stupid assignment. It's _my job_. I don't even _want_ to turn it down. Let's face it, Harry. I'm the only person alive today that's most acquainted with his magic." Her hand went to the spot on her torso involuntarily, Harry's hand's fisting when he saw the action. "After staying low for so long, multiple sightings means he's resurfaced."

"He's planning something," Harry agreed. The fight left him, leaving him frustrated and feeling useless. "Does your bloke know?"

Hermione shook her head. "Me being in any danger doesn't sit well with him." She gestured around them. "You're here because he needs some type of assurance that I will come back. He wanted me to be wearing his ring if I was going to be gone for long." She grimaced as she voiced the words. They had sounded romantic coming from him.

"I like him already," Harry said with a smirk. He frowned a moment later. "Are you not going to tell him?"

"He'd either insist I not go or he'd try to come with me." She bit her lip. "He's Muggle, Harry. Dolohov would strike him down, and Ardeth wouldn't stand a chance."

Harry sighed, "Yeah. That's the ugly truth. Alright." He held out his arm. "Let's go get you betrothed. I didn't come down here as the family representative to talk about bloody Death Eaters."

Hermione kissed his cheek in thanks, looping her arm through his and letting him lead her out the door.

* * *

**AN: *shrugs* I did warn that I was terrible at slow burn, and this story wasn't even going to try. See you next week!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Here's the next chapter for The Witch and the Medjai! Thank you so much for the reviews!**

**For the guest who said Ardeth is how they picture Sirius: I've never put them together, but now I can't unsee it! **

**I'll be updating Prophecies, King's, and Destiny + Codename: Mother Nature soon. **

**Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

He kissed her goodbye at the Ministry.

They were brandishing golden rings with each other's names, tiny runes decorating the bands. Hermione knew Bill was the reason for them; she had plans to examine hers in depth when she had the time. Harry had left earlier that morning, promising to keep an eye out in their own country. She could have cheerfully killed him for saying that in front of Bill and Ardeth, they had sported suspicious frowns after that, but had wished him a safe trip and love for Ron and the rest.

"I'll send my Patronus in a bit," Hermione told him.

"Your Patronus… the glowing otter will let me know you made it there safely?"

"You'll hear my voice," she reassured him. She pressed her lips to his gently. "Be careful on your own journey."

Ardeth rubbed his thumb over her cheek. "Until we see each other again."

"Until we see each other again," she repeated before stepping back and walked to the Portkey office. She let the frown free once she'd closed the door behind her, her mind switching from the love of her life to Antonin Dolohov. What could he be planning that he'd made the mistake of letting himself be seen? He'd been presumed dead for years, and he could have lived a quiet life far away with no danger of being arrested if he'd been careful.

The man wasn't stupid by any means. He'd been a renowned Curse Breaker before falling in with Tom Riddle's group.

It worried her that he was being seen now, but she knew her superiors would dismiss it as paranoia on her part. They would be more concerned if he'd been seen with some of his old cohorts, the ones free and not in Azkaban, but he hadn't gone anywhere near Britain. Maybe she was overthinking it. The bad blood between them would never allow for her guard to lower when it came to him.

The attendant told her it was time, and Hermione gripped the Portkey; a dented soda cap. She made sure her backpack was secured to her back, gripping the strap in case it fell during the travel. She braced for the familiar tug on her navel, sending the worker a small friendly smile of thanks before she was whisked away.

She landed on her feet, a feat that had taken a few years to get down, and immediately wrapped her arms around herself after zipping up her jacket. It was freezing. The file had said a crumbling series of rocks, making her think they would be near the warmer areas of Iceland. No, they were in the colder parts, and the crumbling rock was actually a glacier. She could spot Theo Nott standing in front of one side, hands shoved into the pockets of his trousers, scarf wrapped around his neck. Hermione made her way over to him, her boots crunching on the ground letting him know she was there. "Nott."

"Granger," he greeted. "It's been a while." He scanned her, smirking at her obvious discomfort. "Did you not look up the location beforehand?"

She ignored the question. "You put in your report that he was spotted plenty of times near this _rock_ in particular. Have you gotten any clue as to why he'd be interested in this area?"

"None whatsoever." He frowned. "But that man doesn't do anything without a purpose. I requested a team of Curse Breakers come out, and go over this entire region, but I was denied."

Hermione blew out a breath. "You think he's up to something as well?"

Theo grit his teeth, giving her a short nod. "We both have experience with the bastard. It doesn't surprise me you realize something else is going on than Dolohov bloody sightseeing. Reynolds told me I was letting past grudges get in the way."

"They didn't even accept my request for a meeting," she commiserated. She took out her wand. "Well, we should get started."

They cast the regular spells used for detection of dark magic, a little perplexed when nothing popped up. Hermione went a few levels deeper with her own spells, Theo watching in disappointment when they came up empty. "That was a bust."

"Maybe he didn't use any dark magic," she mused. "I could try my echolocation spell."

"Your what?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's a spell Curse Breakers use when trying to find out what type of magic we're dealing with. The last time I used it, the magic that bounced back considered me an intruder and felt oppressive."

Theo frowned. "That sounds dangerous. What if the magic tried to kill you?"

She shrugged. "Then I'd put up a powerful shield, and start doing my job."

He cast his eyes to the sky. "Alright. I'm going to stand further back in case something malevolent does try to act."

Hermione waited until he was where he wanted to be before casting her magic out again. She frowned when she felt something react, almost hesitantly, before magic came crashing back. Her eyes wide, Hermione cast a quick shield before the impact but it broke through as if her barrier were glass. She was sent flying past Theo, the other man cursing. She rolled a couple of times before coming to a stop on her back, head spinning from the rush of defensive magic that had attacked her. She heard footsteps, Theo's worried grimace gracing her vision a moment later as he knelt beside her.

"Stay still, Granger. Let me run a diagnostic on you."

"So you did do emergency medicine," she commented. Her head was pounding. She must have hit it directly during her tumble. "I thought you'd gone to become a Healer, but then I got this report with your name on the Auror space."

Theo's voice was soothing as he moved his wand to her head. "I did have an apprenticeship at St. Mungo's at first, but one of the Death Eaters on trial made me out to be a willing participant in the Dark Lord's atrocities. I lost my standing with the board based on my family's past and the current criminal investigation that testimony brought down on me. The ICW came and offered me a position with them. They'd put the inquiries to bed, and I could do my concentration in emergency medicine."

She stayed quiet while he pressed the tip of his wand to a spot near the back of her neck. It stung for a moment and then her head stopped pounding. He held out his hand, the pair of them standing together. She brushed at her trousers, looking at him curiously. "Were you?"

He shrugged, turning away. "Depends on your definition of willing. Was the magic malicious?"

Hermione wanted to demand clarification, but knew now wasn't the time. "No, it felt defensive… and old. Whatever that was, it wasn't put there by Dolohov."

"But it could have been what he came here for," Theo concluded.

Her thoughts exactly. "More than likely. I have the direction it came from."

"And if it attacks us again?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Are you an Auror or not?"

"We fight dark wizards, general mischief-makers, usually international criminals. Old magic generally isn't in the job description."

"That's why you have me. It's in _my_ job description." She walked forward, sending him a smirk. "Don't worry, Nott. I'll protect us."

"Oh yes, because you did such a splendid job right now," he muttered. Still, he walked behind her with his wand at the ready.

Hermione didn't cast any detection spells as they walked past the glacier Dolohov had been seen paying particular attention to. She didn't want to trigger another defensive attack on their persons, going out on a limb that with such strong protective magic there wouldn't be any traps in the area they were in. She stopped when she got to another set of glaciers. They had passed smaller ones here and there, but the two in front of her were larger, bigger than the first one. They stood adjacent, an odd placement considering the others were scattered around the region.

"Why'd we stop?"

She raised her eyebrows in disbelief, turning her head to look back at him. "You haven't noticed the two humongous rocks of ice sitting next to each other? It's suspicious, Theo."

He peered at the space in front of her, confusion on his features. "What are you talking about? There's nothing there."

Her head whipped back around, but the glaciers were still there. "Nott, I'm seeing them at this moment."

He walked forward. "Well, I don't. I didn't see a concussion on your scan, but maybe I should check again." He walked past her, heading for the space in between the glaciers. "Look-"

Something shimmered purple for a second before Theo was shot back the same way Hermione had been. She aimed her wand in his direction shouting, "Arresto Momentum!"

His body stopped before it could make an impact with a small cropping of rocks. She flicked her wand towards her, bringing him back and letting the magic free. He landed on his feet, rocking back and forth to steady himself. He sent a disgruntled glance at the glaciers. "Now I see them."

Lips pursed, Hermione studied them from a distance. "So one can see them when the defensive magic has made contact with them. It makes me wonder if there was a Ward around the area to keep away random people."

"Dolohov must have dismantled it and didn't replace it before he left."

"Then we'd have his magical signature," she told him. "I'd be worried if he'd done so. I'm still worried."

Theo sent her a sharp glance. "You think he might have wanted us to come after him?"

"Not exactly," she allowed. "I don't think he'll lose much sleep if he found out he'd been spotted, but I'm sure he's not trying to advertise his presence either. Besides, there is nothing significant in this part of Iceland, nothing I've read about."

"And you would know," he agreed. "What do we need to do to get through this magic? He was here for a reason."

"The first glacier," she decided. "He was spotted around it multiple times."

They walked back to their meeting spot. Hermione had been paying attention when Theo had come into contact with the magic, the brief flare of purple had looked like a veil. There were infinite possibilities of what a veil could be concealing. The one down in the Department of Mysteries in Britain was one such veil, the destination obvious. With no texts written on any historical site close to this part of Iceland, they were blind.

That didn't sit well with her whatsoever.

They examined the ice, searching for any sign that may have let Dolohov interact with the defensive magic. Hermione didn't dare cast spells on it, not knowing if it would have the same reaction as before. Without them, they were clueless about how he could have gotten passed it. She saw nothing discernable. It was just a massive chunk of ice; whiter on the bottom with more blue starting at the middle and a hint of red inside.

She'd been turning to let Theo know she was going to risk a spell, but spun back around at the thought. There, in the middle of the bluer part of the glacier, was the beginnings of red. She stepped back a bit, craning her neck to get a better look. Now that she was focused on it, she could see the faint streak, but it went too far up for her to look at properly. She would need to get up there.

"Nott, I need you to levitate me."

"What did you see?"

She shook her head impatiently. "I can tell you more once I take a look. Levitate me to the top, and lower me as I instruct."

Theo sighed, "Alright, hold still then."

He kept his wand trained on her, raising her until she was at the highest point of the glacier. Hermione took one calming breath from being held in the air by someone she didn't fully trust, and took in the top of the ice. She noticed right away that there was a perfect point, the ice shaped like a spike. She'd only ever seen that formation on ice forming down, not the other way around. She leaned forward, scanning the icicle but could not find anything.

She instructed Theo to lower her a bit, waiting until he'd stopped to look again. She had him rotate her around the glacier so that she could examine it all. She definitely wasn't using magic with her body this high in the air. She went down a bit more, slowly disappointing herself with no results when she spotted something. She tipped forward, narrowing her eyes at the almost transparent glyph.

It was the hieroglyphic for 'pass'.

And just what was this type of glyph doing in bloody Iceland?

Hermione looked from the hieroglyphic, and then to the streak of blood, following the trail until it disappeared up top. Based on recent past experiences, she had a feeling about what needed to happen. "Merlin forsaken ancient monuments and blood magic," she grumbled. "Could they think of nothing else?"

She made Theo raise her back up. Hermione eyed the pointed ice with distrust. How the hell had Dolohov figured this out? She'd bet even Iceland's Ministry of Magic didn't know they had a potential historic site in this area. And the symbol here was an _Egyptian hieroglyph_; the nations were thousands of kilometers away from each other.

Rubbing the golden ring on her finger for reassurance, Hermione settled her mind and placed her finger on the point of the icicle. She hissed at the instant cold made contact with her skin, opening it and accepting the blood that ran down and into the ice. There was a faint tremor. Hermione screamed as she suddenly went into a free fall for about two seconds before Theo managed to take back control of his levitation spell. She waited until he'd lowered her back onto the ground before assaulting him with slaps to his shoulders. "You dropped me!"

"Woman, bloody hell, knock it off!" Theo managed to get his hands on her arms, preventing her from hitting him some more. "Next time warn a bloke that you intend to cause a small earthquake, and maybe I won't break my concentration. Holding the levitation isn't exactly easy, you know."

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "I thought the tremor was faint."

He scoffed, "Sure, when you're up in the air. Down here I was lucky I didn't fall on my arse."

"Oh," she shrugged. "Well, it couldn't be helped then. I think we'll find our path unobstructed now."

"Aren't you going to apologize for hitting me?"

She walked forward, stubbornly lifting her chin the slightest bit in the air. "You still dropped me."

The glaciers were the same when they made it back. Nothing had changed about them, but Hermione was sure they would be welcome. She held her hand out to Theo. He hesitantly took it, noticing the ring on her finger. "Huh, I hadn't heard you were married."

Her smile was small, her brain briefly wondering if Ardeth was on his way to Thinnis already. "Not yet. After this assignment is complete." She gripped his hand more firmly. "With me holding you, there should be no issue with both of us going through. Still, be prepared if I'm wrong."

He nodded, and they walked to the middle of the glaciers. There was a shimmer, the purple veil wafting gently as if there was a breeze. They shared a look before taking the step to enter the hidden space.

They were in an Egyptian temple.

Hermione let go of Theo's hand, looking around in wonder. She wanted to argue that nothing Egyptian could have found its way to Iceland, but the proof was in the symbols that covered the walls. There were no signs of wear one would expect from finding an ancient historical site. The pillars were still standing proud, none of the cracks she'd seen in Hamunaptra. The walls had not aged, the writing clear and deep. Could it be that the veil had kept this place intact for thousands of years?"

"Granger."

She turned to Theo, following his eyes to the symbol at the top of the only door she could see. It was as big as the door itself, the long form of a Basilisk prominently displayed. She frowned. But that was… "Herpo the Foul was Greek."

"No one from ancient times would have dared to use the Basilisk as their symbol," Theo mused. "I'm not sure anyone would try today, but it's possible. Either this place is ancient, or someone wants us to think it is."

"I'll date it." Hermione walked towards the symbol. "We need to know. There's no record of Herpo the Foul working with anyone from Ancient Egypt, but it's not impossible. Greek and Roman influence made its way into Egypt even then."

Theo walked over to examine the writings on the wall closest to him. "Can you really read all this?"

"Yes. Curse Breaking-" She'd waved her wand in the pattern to get the exact date of the carved symbol, not expecting the Basilisk mark to move to the side. She heard an enraged hiss, thought _oh shit_.

"Nott! Close your eyes and move!"

Hermione skidded to the ground behind the closest pillar, closing her eyes. She heard Theo shouting expletives a moment later followed by the sound of something thumping to the ground. Merlin, she hoped that had been the Basilisk and not him. She fought to keep her eyes closed, going against every instinct that told her to open them and track her opponent. She wouldn't be able to fight like this.

She shrugged out of her jacket, tossing it and the backpack away from her. The loud thunk of her pack was what she'd been hoping for. The Basilisk surged forward after her things, Hermione opening her eyes and running as fast as she could to the other side of the room. She found Theo behind another column, gritting his teeth and holding his eyes shut.

He sensed her, but kept his eyes closed. "Do you know how to kill a Basilisk?"

She grimaced. "The Sword of Gryffindor."

Theo groaned, "Well, that's lovely. Care to prove yourself a true Gryffindor then and summon it?"

Hermione peeked past the pillar, blowing out a breath when she saw the snake was busy trying to get past the protection spells on her backpack. Her jacket was torn to pieces, strips scattered around the ground.

She had an idea.

Hermione gripped the bottom of her shirt, tearing the cloth with her hands. They winced at the loud rip, waiting a couple of seconds before relaxing. "There are a couple of options, actually. If we can get the Basilisk to look into its own reflection, it will die. A rooster's crow will also kill it. The last option is most viable, but you'll have to get to my backpack. I'll distract it."

Theo finally opened his eyes, grimacing when he saw that Hermione had tied a large piece of her shirt around her eyes. His eyes strayed to her exposed abdomen, the cursed scar from the man they were pursuing on display. "You're going to use _that_ spell, aren't you?"

"We don't exactly have another option," she grumbled. "The Basilisk at Hogwarts was killed by the Sword of Gryffindor because it was goblin-forged. There's something about their metal… Anyway, I have a dagger in my pack that should work. I'll distract the snake while you get it."

"She managed to survive this long," Theo mused. "Guess I should trust she knows what she's doing."

Hermione rolled her eyes though Theo couldn't see with them covered. Bracing herself for the unpleasantness, she began. It was a trick they had learned in Auror training with the ICW. She used her magic to slowly block her sense of sight, the feeling unnatural for someone who wasn't blind. With that complete her other senses sharpened, the biggest being her hearing. Her head rushed when Theo's breathing assaulted her ears, the long deliberate breathes loud and drawn out.

Once she'd gotten her bearings, she gripped her wand tighter and pushed her fear aside. There would be no place for it if they were going to defeat this thing and get back to their job. "Wait until it's focused on me, and then run for the pack. There will be two strings at the opening. Undo them and then make two loops. Place one loop over the other, thread them through the hole between them and pull tight. That will disarm the security on it."

Theo snorted, the sound harsh on Hermione's ears. "Wait, isn't that some muggle technique for tying shoes?"

"How many magicals do you think know that?" she countered. "Get ready."

Hermione let her hearing guide her, struggling not to let her lack of sight get to her. She zeroed in on the Basilisk's hissing, shouting, "Bombarda!"

She jumped to the side as the snake slithered to her with immense speed. "Now Theo!" She shot the Conjunctivitis Curse in its direction, hoping she would get its eyes. She followed up with her Avis spell, sending the tiny birds to annoy him with a slash of her wand. The Basilisk shrieked in fury. Hermione heard the tail slide across the floor, but she was too late to avoid it, cursing as it picked her up and threw her across the room. Her back hit one of the columns, something snapping at the impact. With her other senses enhanced, she felt the fiery pain start in her shoulder, traveling down her wand arm.

The pain was so intense, Hermione wanted to lose consciousness.

Theo was shouting something. The Basilisk had no doubt went for him now that she was down.

Her sight came flooding back, lessening the pain she was feeling by a minuscule amount but giving her a headache — an unfortunate side effect from using that particular piece of magic.

She realized in that instant that she never sent her Patronus to Ardeth.

He would have been waiting for it, she knew. He'd been apprehensive about her leaving in the first place, had even tried getting her to promise not to get hurt. She'd laughed it off at the time; it was a ridiculous expectation for an Auror. Now she was glad she hadn't, because that would have been two promises she'd broken today.

Her makeshift blindfold slipped down her face, Hermione's eyes adjusting to the natural lighting slowly. Her mind was clouding. She knew she should close her eyes again, but her instincts told her to stay awake as long as possible. She couldn't do that if her eyes closed.

She opened her eyes wide in an attempt to keep herself somewhat alert and inwardly cheered when Theo plunged her dagger into the back of the Basilisk's head. The snake shrieked, trying to buck the Auror off, but Theo just stabbed it again. He kept stabbing it until the head came crashing down in a heap. He'd done it.

She wanted to sleep now.

Theo's face was pale as he staggered his way to her. "Granger! Stay awake, will you? I'll need to administer potions, and I don't fancy having to massage them down your throat."

It was too late. She was unconscious before he finished kneeling next to her.


	4. Chapter 4

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**Chapter 4**

Bill had followed Ardeth back to his village, the two sharing a drink before Bill needed to head into Gringotts. Ardeth was set to leave the next day. Two other Medjai leaders would be joining him. The elders were concerned that someone had been spotted so close to Thinis, making this their priority.

Hermione had not sent her spirit animal, the Patronus.

Ardeth frowned into his drink. It had been a few hours now. He was concerned, but the man with glasses, Harry Potter, had warned him not to try and smother her. He did not see it as smothering, simply the need to keep her protected. But he knew she had been doing this dangerous job long before they met. He would not go back on the oath he'd made when he'd reached manhood. He could not ask her to do the same.

He knew he would feel better once he heard her voice through the ghostly otter.

"Cheers, mate!" Bill lifted his cup in Ardeth's direction. "I never thought I'd see the day that woman settled down. My mum was despairing she'd never get grandkids from her."

Ardeth frowned. "Hermione is not with child."

Bill shrugged. "Eventually, she will be. Mum will be pleased and get off the rest of our backs."

Ardeth snorted. "She sounds like the medicine woman based here. She's a terror."

"Terror's about right," Bill confirmed. "But she'll be a great asset when your children start showing signs of magic. Mione will have read a million books by then, but nothing beats raising seven magical children."

He set his cup down, looking out the window next to the table. "Our children will not have magic."

Bill raised his eyebrows. "Mione's magic potential is big. There's no way her children won't have magic, even if she produces with a Muggle."

"The Medjai have not had magic born into the tribes in generations."

Bill frowned, as if just realizing that as soon as Ardeth told him. "That's weird actually. I've heard of magic dying out in families, but for an entire group of different bloodlines?" His eyes widened. "The Medjai were cursed."

Ardeth glanced over sharply. "What makes you say that?"

"Please, I'm a Curse Breaker. No one knows the ins and outs of curses better than us." Bill leaned forward. "What happened?"

He shook his head. "It is forbidden to speak about with outsiders."

Bill sat back, drumming his fingers on the table. "You haven't told Mione?"

Ardeth grimaced. "I wanted to, but the elders forbid it. They say if she really wants to be my wife, she will let her magic die with her."

Bill slammed his hand on the table. "That's unfair to ask of her, Bay! I know your people are weary of magic users, but it shouldn't be enough that they'll reject one of their own for possessing it."

"I know, but my hands are tied. They have forbidden the discussion."

Bill shook his head. "She should have a choice, Ardeth. She may love you, but magic is a huge part of her life. All that future magic potential lost? It would be a travesty." He paused. "I can help you. There aren't many curses that can take the magic away from multiple bloodlines."

Ardeth was wavering, his interest piqued. "It is not that simple, my friend. The story is not in favor of the Medjai; I can admit to that."

"Look, I think you're a decent bloke but I'm not going to let you keep something this huge from someone who's dear to my family." Bill's face hardened. "I'll tell her myself. If you come clean now, I can start looking into it. This way, Hermione won't blow her top too badly when she finds out."

Ardeth sighed, "What you are asking of me…" He frowned, gripping his hand in a fist as panic washed over him. His breathing grew labored, fear sneaking through his emotions. He stood, one hand reaching for the blade he'd set by the wall. "Something is wrong."

Bill stood as well, looking around warily. "What is it?"

"I cannot be sure," Ardeth admitted. "There is fear in my heart. I know there is danger."

The redhead looked down to Ardeth's clenched fist, noticing the one he kept flexing was the one with the ring he'd helped him get for his betrothal to a Witch. It was with grim realization that he knew the emotions he was feeling were probably not his own. "Sit down, Ardeth. There is no danger, not here."

Ardeth shook his head. The fear was increasing though a calm had settled over it. It was how he felt when engaging enemies in a fight he thought he might not make it out of. He started for the door. "I must alert my people-"

"It's Hermione," Bill stated quickly before the Medjai could bring panic to his tribe for no reason.

He stopped, turning back around to face the Wizard. "Explain."

Bill rubbed the back of his neck, gesturing for Ardeth to sit back down. "Remember the enchantments I had woven into your rings?"

He frowned, eyes going to the gold band around his finger. "I did not understand most of what you explained, but I knew they were meant for protection. You said we would always be able to find each other."

"They are and you will. When magical folk get married, we take vows that are interwoven with our magic if we so choose. One of these vows allow us to feel the extreme emotions of our partners. It was used mostly back when our kind fought with each other over everything. A lot of people today get these protections and enchantments placed onto rings instead. I basically threw the gauntlet down with your rings, knowing Hermione would have wanted it. Your betrothal ceremony activated the magic."

Ardeth processed what he said, finally coming to stand in front of his chair. He focused on what was most important. "It is Hermione's emotions I am feeling. She is in trouble."

Bill nodded, looking uneasily at the tightened fist. "I would say she has encountered a situation she doesn't feel confident about handling. She's an Auror, Ardeth. Being in dangerous situations is, unfortunately, part of the territory, especially with her specialization."

He gave a short nod, understanding, but sudden pain crippled him. He fell onto his seat abruptly, almost missing it and falling to the floor. "She is hurt. There is too much pain."

Bill's eyes widened, his gaze anxious as he leaned forward. "What does it feel like, Ardeth? You need to concentrate. Does it feel like a thousand knives?"

Ardeth looked up sharply at the specific question. "No. What would that mean?"

"Nothing good, but it looks like that's not an issue." Bill settled back. "Eventually, you'll be able to ignore the emotions that filter through. If it becomes too much of a problem in your patrols, remove your ring. I'm surprised she didn't do the same, but I have a feeling she hasn't had a chance to see what I put on them."

Ardeth stared at the table. Her emotions were dulled now. "I do not feel her as strongly as before. Is she alright?"

"Maybe," he said truthfully. He pulled out his wand. "I'll send her a Patronus to check-in. We'll wait an hour before contacting Harry. He'd be able to get in touch with her superiors faster than we could."

"She was supposed to send one of those when she reached her destination. She never did."

Bill rolled his eyes. "Well that doesn't surprise me. If something distracted her, she would have forgotten all about that." He reached over, clapping a hand on Ardeth's shoulder. "I'll stay with you until we hear something."

* * *

Hermione blinked her eyes open, frowning when she felt cold floor starting mid-back. She struggled to sit up, eyes flying to Theo as he helped her. His hands guided her to the pillar she remembered hitting. She looked around him to find the dead Basilisk laying in the middle of the temple's main room. "You killed it."

"I sure did." Theo smirked, waving his wand on her body. "You're making me work for my salary, Granger, first making me kill the damn monster and then forcing me to heal you afterward."

She rolled her eyes. "Glad you're earning your paycheck, Nott. Do I have a clean bill of health?"

He snorted, "Hardly but you aren't going to go on twenty-four-hour bedrest even if I recommended it, so we'll say you are." He cleared his throat. "You received a Patronus message you Order members are so fond of, from Bill Weasley. According to him, you were supposed to check in with your betrothed and you didn't. He said, with the betrothal so new, Ardeth was feeling some intense emotions coming from you. You have another 30 minutes, I'd say, before they send for the cavalry."

"Bugger." Hermione wanted to slap a hand to her face. "I knew there was something. Where's my wand?"

He handed it to her, watching her summon the delicate otter. "Ardeth is not a common name in the UK. He not from Britain?"

"Egypt," she answered once she'd sent the otter off. "Were there any more surprises besides the Basilisk?"

"I feel that should be enough for any defense," Theo replied dryly. "But I used my own family's version of the detection spell, and nothing dark popped up. I didn't want to head into the next room without you."

Hermione didn't waste any more time, forcing herself up despite the ache that accompanied her standing and walking past the snake's body. She made a mental note to report the carcass to the ICW. Basilisk parts were hard to come by considering they were illegal to breed, so certain potions were very rare.

On second thought, maybe she'd do the breakdown herself.

The room they entered was unremarkable, the walls covered in depictions of the Egyptian God's. It was a common theme in many temples. There was a stone table in the middle, oddly reminiscent of the Warding room in Hamunaptra. She didn't feel magic bursting through the walls as she had in the City of the Dead. As they walked closer, Hermione realized there were carvings on the table.

It wasn't a table at all, but a tablet.

Hermione examined it, certain this was what Dolohov had been searching for with his trip to Iceland. The stone was covered in runic letters. Hermione frowned when she realized it was Ancient Greek. It lent further evidence to Herpo the Foul being involved with Egypt during his lifetime. She wasn't sure anything good came out of that relationship.

She let Theo know she would need some time to decipher the writings, and got to work. The problem with different languages was that one often needed to think and immerse themselves in that language to be fluent. It was no different with translating. She was forced to let everything Egyptian fade away, bringing up the Greek alphabet in her head as quick practice. From there, she started going back until she had the right letter sequence for this dialect.

And then had to rework her brain when, after interpreting the first few words, the language changed to the Elder Futhark.

It took her by surprise, but this set of runes were more readily familiar, so it didn't take her long to start the translation process again. She made it to one whole line before the letters were rearranging themselves again. This time it was Sanskrit. That made absolutely no sense to Hermione, but she gamely took the challenge.

She felt defeated when the letters disappeared entirely, raised bumps taking their place.

"Braille?" She cried out. "Was Braille even around then? And now I have to find out which one it is. For the love of Merlin, let me translate you."

Theo poked his head through the doorway, eyebrows raised. "Everything alright in here?"

"I have a headache," she grit out. "And for once in my life, I am very tempted to destroy ancient history. This bloody tablet is a menace."

"Right. I'm useless here so I'll just set up camp and leave you to it."

She ignored him, already touching her fingers to the stone in an attempt to decipher the writing once again. Never in her life had there been a mystery she couldn't solve. This wouldn't be the first.

She reached a breakthrough after the tablet cycled through another five written languages. She didn't know how much time had passed, but she could smell the faint smell of contained camp smoke. Her head was pounding, but Hermione's eyes were filled with triumph.

The original language on the tablet was Hieratic, and given the purpose of the elegant cursive at the time, Hermione was sure this temple had been important. Of course, the Basilisk guarding the temple was also another significant clue. Herpo the Foul may be largely regarded today as an evil Wizard, but he'd been a prominent figure in Ancient Greece. Evidently, that importance had transferred to Ancient Egypt as well. He may have even been the one to manipulate a veil to conceal this building in the first place.

Just what had he been determined to hide and what sort of trouble would this bring if Dolohov succeeded with his plans?

Hermione did not doubt in her mind that nothing good could come from whatever was hidden. The fact that Antonin Dolohov was after whatever it was confirmed something terrible would happen if she and Theo didn't catch up to him. She knew she'd spent too much time deciphering this stone already.

She read the writing carefully, taking the time to make sure she was accurate in her translation. She frowned when she was done. It was a story. Hermione had been prepared for the clues to a hidden power or an ancient spell that would wreak havoc once mastered. Instead, it was the tale of a man who angered the Gods and lost his life and magic. Well, there was more to it than that, but as much as she found the story fascinating, Hermione didn't see how it pertained to the situation. Still, she summoned a piece of parchment from her bag, transferring the characters in an exact copy. Maybe if she tried thinking like Dolohov, his motives would become clearer.

Her head felt foggy when she made her way to her temporary partner. The pain in her head could no longer be ignored now that she didn't need to concentrate. Her body was feeling the aches from earlier, her limbs ready to collapse. Theo had told her she needed rest, but Hermione had been too determined to find what the Death Eater had found in this place. It was disappointing to find out the answers weren't already in their hands.

Theo passed her a steaming bow. He'd made a stew from their rations. "Eat. I can spot the migraine from here."

Hermione gratefully took sips of the broth, working on the meat and vegetables slowly. "I've translated the tablet."

"I figured that out when you stumbled over here." Theo handed her some water. "I was going to give you another hour before I made you take a break. My Tempus tells me dark has fallen."

She handed him the parchment. "It's a story."

He lifted a brow at her petulant tone, but scanned the unfamiliar writing. "Does the story tell us what Dolohov was after?"

Hermione sighed, "Not that I know of. In fact, I've never heard this tale before. Besides finding a fascinating historical account of a man who angered the Gods, I've no clue what could have been so important Dolohov risked being spotted."

Theo looked at the writing with renewed interest. "Someone angered the Gods? I'm guessing his fate wasn't kind."

She smirked briefly, laying on the bedroll he'd unpacked for her. "Oh yes. I imagine one doesn't easily go against deities and win. Should I tell it to you? It's still fresh in my mind."

"I don't see why not. It'll be an amusing story before we turn in, I suppose."

She closed her eyes, imagining the story as the words left her mouth. "Once, long ago, there was a man who possessed tremendous magic. A gift given by the God's, it was said, for he had pleased them greatly. They were the powers of divination, truth, necromancy, and unity. Many far and wide asked him for council, bade him come to their lands. He was given riches and anything he could ever want in return for his service. King's of old were taken with him-"

"Just King's? Were Queen's too smart to fall under his spell?"

"Of course," she smiled. "But women rulers were few and far between during that time period. It was more than likely their territories were of no consequence compared to the bigger nations."

"Better for them, I'd wager. I can already tell this story doesn't end well."

"_Soon_," Hermione said with emphasis. "As all powers of immortals do to mortals, the man reveled in the manipulation of those that would call him ally. He brought kingdoms to ruin with the sound of his voice, prophesied the tragedies of those that displeased him. No one could turn against him and the dead followed his command without rest. It was the last deed that caught the attention of the Gods. Anubis, ruler of the Underworld, was greatly displeased that such a man sought to control what was his. He brought his case to the others and they agreed that this man had grown too dangerous. He no longer tried to please those that gave him power, fashioning himself one of them. It was blasphemy of the highest order."

Theo rolled his eyes. "What did they expect? Give someone too much power, and they go insane."

Hermione hummed in agreement before continuing. "They sent Isis, the Goddess of Magic, with the vengeful order to put him in his place. This man had been beloved of Isis since his childhood, so the Goddess decided to order him to stop his growing madness instead. He agreed and then spoke his hate of the God's once she'd left, turning once faithful servants and acolytes against their deities. Furious, in the heat of betrayal, Isis ripped the magic from his body through sacrifice, placing the four great gifts into receptacles. She entrusted the crystals to the Pharaoh, never explaining their importance, content in the knowledge that no mortal would ever abuse the God's gifts again."

When Hermione drifted off, Theo frowned. "That's it?"

She shrugged, the siren's call of sleep beckoning her. "That's it. I imagine it was a story created by priests to impress upon the importance of not angering the Gods. There were actually plenty of tales like this in different periods, usually when the people's allegiances strayed from their deities."

"And you don't think it's weird that this story is the only knowledge to be found in a temple from another country hidden behind a veil?"

Hermione frowned. "I'm not saying something isn't fishy, but I've never read anything about this. We can dig up accounts of Herpo the Foul since it was him that protected this place. Maybe there is something that was deemed unimportant at the time."

She inwardly sighed at the tasks ahead of them. Tomorrow, she would send Theo back to the ICW headquarters where he could search their library for anything remotely related to Herpo the Foul. She'd take care of the Basilisk remains, and then put in a floo call to the Ministry in Greece. They should have more accounts than what was readily available to foreigners. She might need to make a trip there to make sure nothing was left unturned.

Her thoughts turned to Ardeth. She hoped she'd taken his worries away with her Patronus. She hadn't gotten a chance to examine all the enchantments on their rings, but she should have figured Bill would put that one in. It was standard practice in his family. She remembered Molly tucking her ring into a pocket in her dress before the Battle of Hogwarts started. Had Arthur done the same up in the towers? Would Ardeth do it once he'd set out?

She couldn't believe the Valley of Kings in Thinis was real. There were entire sections of Egyptian legend and history the Medjai guarded. Their myth, his duty; Hermione remembered him telling her days prior. It was true. How many Unspeakable's would kill to have a chance at exploring Hamunaptra? Too many. It was with that terrible thought that Hermione had fudged her report of the Warding. The ICW would leave it alone if they thought she'd seen nothing of importance, her file lost in the masses.

The next morning, Hermione woke feeling much better than last night. All her aches from yesterday were gone, her head clear of the fog that had sent her to sleep. Theo was already up, packing up their campsite. She looked at him curiously. "Did you put something in my food last night?"

He glanced up with a wary look but nodded. "I mixed a couple of healing broths in with the soup. Just because magic heals mostly everything doesn't mean some good rest is out of style."

Hermione didn't say anything else, not sure whether to thank him or warn him not to drug her without her consent again. They were partners on this case, but they had a history that let her mind automatically think the worst. It was terrible, she knew. Theo had done nothing but be cooperative the entire time. He could have left her to die with the Basilisk and instead had risked his life to kill the snake. He'd been her Healer one too many times since they'd met up, but had performed his job without pause.

So she let it go, because she wouldn't have given someone she trusted grief over it, and they would only work as partners if there were mutual trust.

She started rolling up her bedroll, using magic to shrink it down to a more manageable size. "I think we should split up today. I need to take care of this Basilisk corpse, possibly examine the temple more. There might be something we missed. If you go to Headquarters, you can search the library for anything on Herpo. I think we may have to go to Greece, but we'll see what the archives have."

"Actually…"

Hermione looked up from her task. "Yes?"

"Do you realize you talk in your sleep?"

Oh Merlin. "Look, Nott, I apologize if I disturbed your sleep-"

Theo waved his hand in dismissal. "I don't care about that. Before you fell asleep completely, you mentioned the Valley of Kings."

Had she? Hermione looked away, busying herself with her pack. "The Valley of Kings is a myth."

He nodded. "Of course it is, but your words stirred a memory of my third year. It was mandatory to take Muggle Studies, you remember, and the Professor assigned a paper over break on different Muggle myths and folklore."

Hermione rolled her eyes at the reminder. "Yes. I remember getting looks from the rest of you for doing my paper on the Norse creation story while the rest of you did King Arthur and Excalibur."

Theo gave her a look. "You were such a swot and Burbage raved over your paper for three class periods. I swear you could have ditched her class for the rest of the year, and she wouldn't have cared." They both paused as they remembered exactly what happened to their Muggle Studies Professor. Her eyes hardened and Theo cleared his throat. "Anyway, I knew everyone in Slytherin would choose the same topic so I tried looking for something else. I came across a book that described four orbs of incredible power. I only glanced at the story for a minute because it wasn't Muggle related, but it mentioned the Valley of Kings."

Hermione tried to follow the next steps in his train of thought. "Were the four orbs related in any way to the powers described in this story?"

"I believe so. I think I remember reading something about truth and souls, that has to be Necromancy." He pursed his lips. "It's a shot in the dark, but I'd rather try it before going to the archives."

She agreed. "Where is this book? I can take care of the Basilisk and meet you there."

Theo winced. "Maybe it's better that you don't accompany me."

She arched a brow. "Why not?"

He squirmed under her stare. "It's an old book located at Malfoy Manor."

Hermione could feel her teeth start to grind at the mention of the blond bigots. "Draco Malfoy would rather watch the world burn than let me into his library."

Theo opened his mouth in protest, but then closed it on a sigh. "You're not wrong about that. He'll easily let me search the Malfoy library, but he might put up a fuss if you showed up as well."

She drummed her fingers on her thigh, fighting the compulsion to try and ruin Malfoy's day by getting a warrant. "Is there a way you can get the book out of the manor? I don't want us to miss anything."

He shrugged. "It's worth a shot.


	5. Chapter 5

**Welcome to the next chapter of The Witch and The Medjai!**

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**Chapter 5**

Hermione stepped onto the steps of the british Gringotts location a couple of hours later, backpack full even by extended standards. Breaking down and properly storing the Basilisk's corpse had taken a long time with her doing it by herself. She hadn't received word from Theo yet, so she'd decided to drop off her haul while she waited.

"Mione!"

She turned in surprise, grinning when Ron jogged up to her. "Ron!" She gave him a warm hug, taking a step back and looking him over a moment later. He had just come out of work, Auror's robes rumpled and hair in disarray. Knowing him, he'd run his hand through it a million times while doing paperwork. "Just get off work, then?"

He nodded. "I'm meeting Susan here later, thought I'd stop in to see George but you're much better company." He looked down, pausing at her torn shirt. "I see you got into trouble."

Hermione blew out a breath. "I haven't had a chance to shower and change. Hopefully, I can stop by my flat later."

"What's your business with Gringotts?"

She hooked her arm through his. "I need to stop at my vault. How long do you think they'll hold us up this time?"

Ron rolled his eyes. "With the pair of us? At least an hour if we're lucky. It's good Harry isn't here, or they'd bar us completely."

He was right. They were made to wait while the Goblin's confirmed their identity three different ways. Their wands were examined with what was on record, a spell was performed to ensure no magic disguise was afoot, and they each had to separately tell the Goblin questioning them a codeword they'd been assigned. Hermione liked to think this enhanced security was done with everyone, but she knew it wasn't. With the three of them being the only living people to have broken into Gringotts successfully, these were concessions they'd agreed to before being let back in. They'd tried to make them give their blood in the beginning, but Ron had put a stop to it before Harry or Hermione had agreed. Goblin's were able to perform certain magic spells when the blood was given with consent. She'd been shocked and horrified all at once.

Ron joined her once he'd been cleared. He lifted a brow when he saw they hadn't cleared her yet. "What's the hold-up?"

She shrugged. "No clue."

Another Goblin with the one who'd been examining her walked in. He was older, the grim expression Goblin's usually wore more pronounced. "Miss Granger, good to see you again."

She wasn't so Goblin was always the one called in when they had a problem with her. "Draenog. How are you?"

The Goblin gave her a sharp grin. "Just fine. Gringotts hates to waste time, Miss Granger. The scan Gringotts did when you entered the building showed multiple dangerous substances on your person. We must verify each one before allowing you to proceed to your vault."

Ron groaned quietly, "Way to go. We'll never get out of here. I just wanted to catch up."

She elbowed him in the gut, smirking at his grunt of pain. "Of course. I came across a Basilisk on one of my missions and after it was taken care of, I broke the corpse down."

Ron glanced at her sharply. Draenog nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. If you can bring each part out, we can verify your claim and move on."

Hermione visibly rolled her eyes but complied. She ignored Ron's questioning stare while she opened her backpack and offered a sample of each part of the snake she'd harvested. Once that was over, she stood. "It's been a pleasure, Draenog."

He held up a hand. "There's still the matter of your wrist cuff."

Hermione frowned. "What about it?"

"We detected five different poisons and metallic wire. You know Gringotts doesn't like concealed weapons on the premises."

She placed her hands on her hips. "I'm an Auror. We're well within our rights to have other weapons on our person. What's this really about? I've never been given this much trouble before."

Draenog made a sharp gesture with his hand. The other Goblin left the room. "Three months ago, you made a request on behalf of the ICW for information related to a lost Egyptian city."

Hermione crossed her arms over her chest. She could see where this was going. "I had a case. I filed the appropriate paperwork for the information you had, Draenog."

"Everything was in order," Draenog agreed. "You are aware that Gringotts has a heavy interest in Egypt." He glanced at her ring. "Word has reached the Goblin's about your association with a group that makes it incredibly difficult for us to expand our interests. We would consider it a favor if you speak to the Medjai leaders about the possible excavation of certain sites."

There was no chance in hell Ardeth would entertain the idea, much less the other Chief's. She didn't tell him that, though. A favor owed by the Goblin's was a powerful thing. Outright refusing the offer would be a stupid decision. Hermione Granger was many things, but stupid would never be one of them.

She nodded once. "I'll talk to them, but I don't guarantee success. They take their roles very seriously."

"Talk is all we ask. Have a good day, Miss Granger. May fortune favor the both of us."

Hermione and Ron walked to the waiting cart that would take them to her personal vault. She was only a few levels down, her family name not old or rich enough to warrant higher protections. That was fine with her. She had other protections placed on the contents of both her vaults. Her academic vault had an extra layer that required her magic signature be authenticated before entry. To her, that was much better security that an abused dragon.

Ron finally spoke when they were left alone. "Basilisk?"

She grimaced. "I activated a trap. Considering where I was at and how healthy it looked, I believe it might have been placed in stasis until it was needed. It's dead now though, and I have enough ingredients to do some lucrative black market trading if I ever wanted to."

He shook his head. "Sometimes I envy the adventurous life you lead, but then I remember I love being alive."

She sent him an amused smile. "I'm right here, Ron, I haven't died."

He shot her a look. "For now." He bumped her shoulder with his. "Sorry I wasn't able to make it to your betrothal ceremony. Harry won the paperwork game."

"That's alright. As long as you don't miss my wedding."

"Not in a million years." Ron grinned. "I still can't believe a bloke managed to convince you to take vows, a Muggle at that. You must really love him."

She chuckled, "I do. Ardeth is a great man. I'm not sure how he'd fit in with the rest of the family, he's so serious, but he fits me. There was this instant connection when we met. I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't made the first move."

Ron snorted, "Act indifferent and then drive us all mad until you gathered the courage to track him down." His grin fell away. "I'm happy for you, Mione. I don't like that you'll be moving so far away, but if you're happy, that's all that matters."

She wrapped him in another hug. "Thank you, Ron. I wanted you and Harry to meet him before anything else, but well, life. Maybe when I'm done with this mission, you two can take some time off and visit? We can see what type of trouble we can get up to, just the three of us."

"Deal, though, maybe hold off on the trouble part."

He helped her store everything away in a chest she reserved for rare ingredients. She checked on the integrity of her Wards before they left seeing as she was there. With her burden lifted, she was eager to head home and check on things; bathe, grab some food, possibly start her report while the details were still fresh in her mind. She itched to check on Theo's progress with Malfoy. Time was of the essence when it came to Dolohov. She knew it wouldn't help in the end. Draco would realize he'd be helping her in the process, and make things difficult until she lost her temper and threatened to charge him with obstruction.

Ron left her with a warm goodbye, hurrying off to meet Susan, when they exited the bank. She was ready to apparate to her flat, but the letter that dropped into her hands dashed her hopes for a quiet night. She saw the owl fly away, eyes narrowed on the familiar pattern to the wings. That was Malfoy's personal owl.

She turned the letter over, seeing the note was written in Theo's neat cursive. _Meet back at the temple._

That was fast. She supposed being on excellent terms with your target guaranteed results. This was good. The faster they learned what Dolohov was doing, the quicker they could catch up with him. She'd checked with the intelligence gatherers before coming to the bank. There had been no further sightings.

Hermione landed at the same spot as last time. The cold found its way to her exposed skin immediately, but Hermione was ready with a warming charm this time. Her eyes found Theo, a question on her lips that died when she saw that he wasn't alone. Platinum blond hair and an impassive face greeted her before she saw her partner. She shook her head. "Malfoy, this is an Auror investigation. What are you doing here?"

"None of your business, Granger."

She huffed, "Not my business? It's _my_ case, Malfoy."

Theo already had a resigned look on his face when he stepped between the two of them. "Draco, please knock it off. Granger, I asked him to come."

Draco smirked. "See? I was asked to be here."

Theo shot him a look. "_Only_ because I wanted him to recount the story to you in case I miss anything. I went to get the book, but it was one of the texts unaccounted for after the war."

Damn it. "And Malfoy just happens to know the story we were searching for?"

Draco sneered. "You're not the only one interested in Egyptian legends, Granger. I used to be obsessed with them as a boy. Theo told me the tale you deciphered. That's not what's written in the book, but there is overlap."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Let's hear it then."

He grumbled but complied. "The Four Orbs of the Gods is the story Theo was looking for. They're rumored to have been gifts from the Gods to mankind, but many speculate they were actually powerful spells created by a powerful Witch or Wizard. The Orbs of Destiny, Truth, Souls, and Unity. Separate, they were powerful and deadly, but together, they can be catastrophic. It's also rumored that when you possess all four, you can go to the Valley of Kings and be shown the way to the Valley of the Gods."

Another myth. "How does that happen? Did the story tell you how to start looking for these orbs?"

Draco shrugged. "It says the light will touch the stone and the path will be revealed or some cryptic wording that meant that. Apparently, it will reveal the location of only one and you go from there."

Theo and Hermione cursed. By the time they'd found the location of the first one, Dolohov could have already found it and gone on to the next one. They'd be playing catch up. Theo asked, "Were you able to study the temple more, Hermione?"

She shook her head. "I wanted to see what Malfoy's book said. I didn't see any openings, and it's hidden by a veil. Maybe he mimicked the right light?"

"But what type of light? Is it the tablet we have to shine it on?"

"All good questions," she mused. "We'll have to go through trial and error. We can rest assured there won't be traps with this, at least. I doubt good old Herpo thought anyone would get past his pet."

Draco interrupted their conversation. "Are you talking about Herpo the Foul? Just what does the ICW have you two doing? Theo never explained what was going on."

She shot him an unamused look. "As per procedure, Malfoy. He can't discuss an ongoing case with a civilian."

"I'm sure Potter and Weasel know all the details," he shot back.

"Don't call him that," Hermione snapped. "Besides, they are _also_ Auror's. They can be in the need to know if I choose. What do you do now? It can't be anything too significant, or I'd have heard about it."

Draco took a step closer, hand fisted in his pocket. Hermione readied to rear back and punch him.

"Merlin," Theo groaned. "I knew this was a bad idea. Granger, can I talk to you for a second?"

Hermione turned and walked away, her head lifted up in a clear dismissal. Draco sneered at her retreating back. Theo rubbed the line between his brows, shooting a warning look at his friend before following her. She was waiting for him, arms crossed in front of her chest. He muffled the area around them.

"Why did you bring him here?" Hermione asked tightly. "He could have written what he knew and stayed in his manor."

Theo nodded. "Yes, I could have, but I want to bring him on as a consultant."

"No!" Her answer was out of her mouth before he could say anything else. "Are you out of your mind? We are on the hunt for a dangerous Death Eater. We don't have time to babysit the rich civilian."

"That rich civilian was once a Death Eater."

She scoffed. "It's hard to forget that."

He ignored her. "Draco was more connected with the Death Eater's than I was. He went on more missions, attended revelries. Despite falling from grace, the Malfoy family still maintained their positions in the Dark Lord's inner circle. He would have had more of an opportunity to spend time with Dolohov. Plus, the man is just as well read in legends and history as you are. I'm pants at all that. He'd be more help."

Hermione wasn't buying it. "I don't need more help. We've been doing fine on our own, considering we've had less than a week."

"We'll be chasing Dolohov's footsteps," he insisted. "We both know the man is a genius, and he has a head start. I'd feel better if we had someone else working with us on this."

"I don't trust him, Nott."

"I do."

They stared each other down, neither willing to give on their discussion. Hermione _knew_ there was something he wasn't telling her. She also knew she wouldn't get the real reason out of either of them if they weren't forthcoming about it already. What she did know was that Theo had every right to request aid from any outside source, and she'd bet her entire book collection that he had the proper form ready to submit. They didn't have time to argue about this. Every minute spent trying to send Draco home was another minute the Russian bastard would have free of their chase.

Drawing her wand, Hermione stomped over to the blond. He glanced from her wand to Theo, hand in his pocket. She stopped in front of him, bringing her wand up just under his chin. "Listen here," she warned. "I don't know what your real motive is for wanting to be on this case, but Theo seems to think we can use you. I want your oath, here and now, that you are _not_ working with your former colleagues. I want you to swear on your magic that you _will not_ do anything to jeopardize the apprehension of Antonin Dolohov. You _will not_ pass on information from this case to anyone who might benefit financially, and that all details revealed to you will remain confidential."

His eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "Dolohov's dead, Granger. You confirmed that."

"Apparently not," she bit out. "Do you swear or not?"

Draco nodded, his hand coming empty handed out of his pocket. "I can swear to all but the first, Granger. That's too broad an oath that I'd violate as soon as I made it." He glanced pointedly behind her.

Of course. She'd forgotten for a second that Theo was branded. "Fine. Swear the rest on your magic."

He did, his words spoken without hesitation. Hermione was a little disappointed he hadn't put up more of a fight. She would have liked a good reason to deny him the consultant position. She sheathed her wand once it was done, turning away and making her way to the veil entry.

"Come on. The faster we decipher the first location, the closer we'll be to tracking Dolohov down."

* * *

Theo raised his brows as soon as they were back in the temple. "There is no sign of the Basilisk. Did you take everything?"

Hermione nodded, wiping her hand down the fabric of her trousers. Not wanting a repeat of the defensive magic that had thrown both her and Theo, she'd reluctantly taken Draco's hand before leading them through the veil. "All can be used as potion ingredients, even the skin. It's too bad the snake hadn't shed before now. That would have opened up more possibilities."

"Basilisk ingredients are mostly used in darker potions," Draco pointed out.

"Mostly," Hermione agreed.

She watched him walk up to the sigil above the entryway to the next room. He studied it. "There's no account of Herpo the Foul working with the Egyptians."

Hermione struggled not to roll her eyes. "Yes, but I've dated the sigil and it wasn't carved recently. With the Basilisk hidden in stasis until someone used magic in this room, it could be confirmed that he had some dealings with Egypt. The Muggles of the time dealt with each other constantly. It's safe to assume the magical communities did the same."

Draco frowned. "You said the Basilisk was hidden in stasis until someone used magic?"

"Yes," Theo answered. "We came in with no issue once we got past the veil. Hermione tried to use magic on the seal, and it activated the trap."

"Are you sure it wasn't her tampering with the seal that activated the trap?"

She shook her head. "It could be, but I highly doubt it. The only reason I tampered, as you put it, with the seal was to make sure it was authentic. The more logical conclusion is that Herpo set a trap for any magicals that made it through the veil hiding this temple."

Draco's frown turned into a grimace. "Then how did Dolohov get past the Basilisk?"

Theo and Hermione stopped cold, the question never entering their minds until that point. How had Dolohov defeated the Basilisk? He could have forgone using magic entirely, but if a particular light did need to shine down on the tablet, Hermione didn't see how he could have avoided using magic.

"Maybe there were multiple Basilisk's?" Theo offered.

"That's a scary thought," Draco said into the silence that followed.

Hermione shook her head. "The setup for that trap would require the trigger being different multiple signatures. Bill sent his Patronus to me yesterday, and you healed me after the fight. No other snakes appeared then."

"And if Herpo were going to set up a trap like that, he wouldn't stop at two."

Theo blew out a breath. "Right. Then that means Dolohov has another trick up his sleeve we're unaware of."

The three made their way into the second chamber. Hermione watched Draco take in the room, his eyes darting to every corner and then the stone tablet in the middle. Despite the seriousness of the case, his eyes lit up as he walked over to it. "Is this where you found the story?"

She joined him, looking at the words that had given her so much trouble. It was still in the final language she'd decoded, but she knew Draco would see the Ancient Greek it started in. "Yes. I had a devil of a time translating the thing. It kept mixing up the language every time I made it past a sentence."

"A misdirection enchantment," Draco surmised.

"There's no evidence that supports that."

"We could try and break it."

"I wouldn't try it," Hermione advised. "Most of these temples have multiple hidden layers of curses and enchantments woven into them. _If_ there is such a charm placed on it, there is probably a trap to go with it should we attempt to 'cheat'."

Draco shrugged. "Isn't that what Curse Breakers are for?"

"Magic shouldn't be used as a gateway for everything," Hermione huffed. "There's no reason to undo anything, because I've already translated it." Her eyes wandered to where Theo was looking at one of the drawings on the wall with interest. She left Draco after warning him not to tamper with the tablet, and made her way over to her partner. "You make me agree to bring him on and then you leave me with him."

"You two seemed to be conversing without dueling," Theo told her without sympathy. "I was noticing something on the pictures when we were here before, but your concentration was on the stone so I didn't ask about it before." He pointed to the drawing he was in front of. "This is one of the Egyptian gods, yes?"

"That's correct." Hermione pointed to the falcon head. "This is Horus, who, at one point, was considered the leader of the Egyptian pantheon."

"Are they all God's?"

Hermione looked around, eyes touching every picture. "Yes. I don't see anyone else depicted."

Theo brought her attention back to Horus. "Okay. If you look at Horus, you'll notice there's a colored circle where his heart would be."

She looked closely at Horus' chest. "There's faint discoloration between the two colors, but that might have been an accident. What grabbed your attention?"

"The same circle is on every God and Goddess in this room."

Hermione's eyes flew up to Theo's in surprise before confirming it herself. She went to each picture, making Draco triple check their findings. Theo was right. What could be considered an accidental pigment change was looking more like a deliberate placement. There could be different meanings to this, but Hermione was sure it had to do with the stone. Draco agreed with her, and they theorized until finally deciding to call it a night.

Theo set up an actual tent this time, and Hermione rushed to the shower before either Wizard could claim it. She gave a grateful groan as hot water poured over her. She'd been too worn out the day before to suggest Nott put up the tent from her pack, and then she'd never managed to go to her flat when she'd been in Britain. She felt grimy, her hair rebelling against the tight braid she'd forced it into that morning. Her torn shirt would make its way to the trash, replaced by the spare she kept in her backpack for such incidents. Her jacket would need to be replaced. There had been no salvaging it from the Basilisk attack.

The glint of her ring caught her eye as Hermione reached up to shampoo her scalp. Ardeth would be on his way to Thinis right now. With the recent revelation in this case, Hermione had thought about contacting him for a moment. It occurred to her a few hours ago that their sighting in the Valley of Kings was no coincidence. He'd told her no one had made it to the heart of the ruins in a long time, and now there had been a single disturbance? If Draco and Theo were right about the story, then she knew it was Antonin.

But then he would want to know more information, and Hermione couldn't give him any.

Ardeth was a Muggle. Involving him in a case was a fine line she would have to justify when she made her report. Hermione would have to be one-hundred percent sure of Dolohov's direction before making that call. Then again, did she want Ardeth brought onto the case if it meant crossing paths with the fugitive Death Eater? No. It was as she'd told Harry. He wouldn't stand a chance. Not many did.

Her Medjai was not the type to give up. His dedication to his duty filled him; it was a wonder he'd had room in his heart for her. If he knew there was a threat to what he protected, she knew he'd be the first volunteer to deal with it; no matter the cost. Hermione wouldn't worry so much if he was a Wizard. Half of spell casting always came from intent, and he was the type-

Her thoughts screeched to a halt, hands freezing in her hair.

Cursing herself for not seeing it sooner, Hermione hurridley rinsed the soap from her hair. She skipped conditioning it in her haste to get out of the shower and into clothing, something she'd regret come morning. She threw her ruined clothing on, too impatient to search her backpack for her spares. She ran out of the bathroom on bare feet, rushing past Theo and Draco and just barely grabbing hold of Theo's sleeve before she was outside the tent.

"What's gotten into you?" Theo let her drag him, eyes wide at her urgency.

"Magic is one part ability, one part knowledge, one part intent, and one part heart."

"Really?" Draco snarked. "You're dripping everywhere because you remembered our first lesson in first-year Charms?"

Hermione shot him an aggravated glare before turning to the picture of Isis she'd stopped in front of, and pointing at the faint discoloration. "Right there. There's the heart. The light will touch the stone, yes? That's what you said, Draco. What if the story meant conjured light?"

Theo ran a hand over his hair, pondering her words. "You believe we have to cast a light spell over the stone to reveal what it did to Dolohov?"

"It's not that simple," Hermione explained. "The light has to be in the right position when it hits the tablet for its secrets to be revealed."

Draco was nodding. "And the heart is weighed by Anubis before being allowed entry into the Underworld."

Theo frowned. "Then shouldn't we be looking at the drawing of Anubis?"

"Isis is the Goddess of Magic," Hermione and Draco said in unison.

They locked eyes before Draco nodded. Hermione continued, "Those that worshipped the Egyptian Pantheon considered Isis the mother of all magic. It will be her heart we must shine the light from."

"You thought of this in the shower?" Draco mused.

She shrugged. "I was thinking about something else… Theo, you'll need to be the one to shine the light." She turned to Draco. "We'll translate whatever is uncovered faster if we both go over it."

"We're positive it's Isis?" Theo questioned. "Anubis deals with the hearts, and Horus is the leader of them all. It could be either of them."

Draco shook his head. "It's Isis, mate. The Egyptian magical community of the time didn't revere God's as the Muggle's did, but they made an exception for her. They'd put their secrets with her."

"It's Herpo the Foul's symbol outside this room," Theo pointed out.

Hermione sighed impatiently. Who were the experts in the room? "He obviously worked with the Egyptians on this, or we'd be seeing the Greek Pantheon on these walls. As that's not the case, Isis."

Theo opened his mouth, but Hermione's glare had him shutting his mouth and throwing his hands up in surrender. They moved into position, Draco and Hermione watching the tablet for any changes. Theo touched the tip of his wand to the place where Isis' heart would be. He waited for their signal before casting the spell. "Lumos."

Hermione looked back when he spoke, watching as light spread from his wand tip and covered Isis' heart. Her breath caught. Slowly, like a pathway being revealed, magic light poured from the heart and traveled to the stone. The beam touched the stone, the writing fading away like a mirage. A single picture took its place, the carving stretched over the stone.

"The Pillars," she translated in a murmur. Where had she read that before?

Theo broke his concentration, the lighted path shimmering away as his Lumos dissipated. With the magic no longer touching the tablet, the symbol faded as well, leaving the stone blank.

Her partner walked over. "Do we have a location?"

She shook her head. "It was the hieroglyph for pillars, but that's not a location." She tugged on a lock of her hair, frustrated beyond belief. "I'm sorry. I know I've read something about pillars, but that could be anything. I was so sure this was the right course of action, but all we got was another clue. I'll start reading-"

"Heliopolis," Draco interrupted her. "The city is Heliopolis."

Theo's brows rose up. "We're going to Greece, after all?"

"Hardly." Hermione looked at Draco. "Are you sure? There's not much left of the city these days. Most of the buildings from that time have been torn down to progress Cairo's advancement."

Draco was sure. "Before its Greek name was latinized, the Ancient Egyptians called the city the Pillars. It was a religious hub for a majority of the empire back then, so there was a popular temple dedicated to Isis. I'd read somewhere that the temple was destroyed during a war."

"We need to head there then. If Isis' temple is the resting place for the first orb, there will have been magical protections placed around it. Dolohov-"

"What we need to do is get some sleep," Theo disagreed. He shook his head firmly when Hermione opened her mouth to protest. "No, Granger. It's night, and we could all use with a decent night's sleep. Cairo is a Muggle populated city. Ancient monuments like the ones we're searching for are big tourist attractions. We need to be careful about how we move forward."

Hermione deflated at his words. She knew he was right, but she also knew they'd waste valuable time staying here for the night. "We both know Dolohov might already have the first orb, Nott. And if he does, he certainly won't be sleeping when he could be tracking down the next."

"You could be right." They both knew the likelihood of her being wrong was slim. "He's had enough time. He also doesn't know we're onto him. He has no reason to believe anyone is searching for him. If we apparate to Cairo tonight and cause a scene, he will hear about it. He's too smart not to bribe someone to look out for anything that might seem suspicious."

She knew Theo wouldn't budge on this. "Fine. Be prepared to apparate to Cairo's Ministry building first thing in the morning." She turned and stalked back to the tent.

"Get some sleep!" he called out.

Hermione waved a hand in the air while letting out a noise showing her displeasure before disappearing behind the flaps.


	6. Chapter 6

**What? An actual update? Yes, yes, I know. Life guys, and my compulsion to let my Muse run around without a leash.**

**Reminder: This is so so fast-paced. I didn't try to build up the romance first. Our protagonists are on a time-sensitive mission. Doesn't leave much room for slowing down, but there's always the next arc!**

**I hope you guys enjoy! And Review! They feed the unleashed Muse.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Antonin Dolohov was not worried about attracting attention.

Hermione could only listen as they were told by the Head Auror that the ruined temple they were searching for was blocked due to an incident. What that incident was, neither knew. The Head Auror, an older man who had taken one look at them and grumbled under his breath, was adamant that he would not release details of his case without a warrant. He didn't care that the ICW would get them the proper paperwork before the end of the day. He wouldn't even think about letting them near his crime scene. Hermione and Theo had pulled the International Auror card, carefully explaining this incident might be related to an ongoing case. It had been a wrong move on their part. He'd clammed up immediately at the prospect of losing control of his case.

Hermione _hated_ Auror's with that mentality. Wasn't apprehending the criminal in question more important than who received the credit?

They were forced to wait while the red tape was cut through. Hermione knew they were wasting precious time, but there was nothing they could do. Being an Auror wasn't always about chasing the bad guys. There were paperwork and procedures, rules she had to follow to keep the ICW steeped in a favorable light. It wasn't hard to get what they wanted when the local Auror's cooperated, but sometimes they encountered ones like him that reminded Hermione _why_ the procedures were necessary.

Draco had been left out of the closed-door meeting, but he knew the outcome of the talk as soon as he looked at Hermione's face. "I take it we'll have to wait."

Theo nodded. "The temple is an active crime scene. He won't release any details without a warrant from the higher-ups. We wait."

He grimaced. "You know that's not a coincidence, right?"

"We know." Hermione sighed in frustration. "I'm going to scout Cairo's Wizarding district. Someone may have spotted Dolohov."

Theo slapped Draco on the shoulder. "We'll find a cheap place for the night. I don't want to consider we'll be here longer than that."

They split ways, Hermione snorting at Draco's exclamation of: "I don't do cheap!"

She contemplated their options as she walked the familiar streets of Cairo. They could wait for the paperwork to come through, or they could disregard that bit of procedure entirely and break into the crime scene. Both had repercussions, but Hermione was positive she could spin the rule-breaking to her superiors as a matter of urgency. Maybe she should do it herself, and leave Theo out of it. As much as she hated it, her fame gave her a bit of slack with most. They'd probably shake their heads at her and leave it at that as long as the case was closed. Theo wouldn't be that lucky.

Hermione walked down a seemingly abandoned alley, stopping at the dead end. She drew her wand, ready to draw the glyph that would allow her to enter the magic hub of Cairo when something at the corner of her eye caught her attention. She inclined her head, making the movements with her wand, but angling to get a better look at the figure watching her from a dark corner. He was fidgeting nervously, glancing at her in short bursts and mouthing under his breath.

Finally, he called out, "Hey lady! You the witch askin' about Isis' temple?"

She dropped all pretense of opening the secret entrance. How had he known that?

Hermione turned to face him and started towards him. Her walk turned into a run when the guy suddenly paled and bolted down the alley. She called for him to stop, but he was mingling with the Muggles before she could fire off a spell. Cursing under her breath, Hermione gave chase.

Why? Why did people think running from Auror's was a good idea? Really, it ended up making them think the runners were involved in something illegal. Of course, nine times out of ten, they were.

She grumbled apologies left and right as she shouldered through the crowd. She could just make out the top of the guys head, his body having just as hard a time as hers getting through the crush of Muggles out and about. He was glancing back periodically, eyes wide with adrenaline.

Someone bumped into her from behind, causing her to stumble. She looked back in aggravation, the man already mumbling apologies and hurrying away under her heated stare. She turned back around, but the man she'd been chasing was nowhere in sight. Hermione cursed under her breath. How was she to find him now?

Hermione made her way to the alley she'd last seen him by. If she could get his picture and details out to the local Auror's, they'd have a better chance at apprehending him. But first, she'd see if he went down this way and was waiting for her to leave before coming out.

Something knocked into her from behind, sending her sprawling across the pavement. Her wand rolled out of her reach, disappearing under a few broken crates. Hermione turned on her back, bringing her arms up to block the fist coming for her face. She struck forward with her leg, rewarded with a pained cry for her efforts. She rolled to her side, getting to her knees and then to her feet. The man she was after was clutching himself, but looking up at her with bright eyes.

Hermione threw her hand in the direction of the crates to summon her wand, but a click from behind had her freezing. "I wouldn't do that."

The man was grinning now, standing straight and limping towards her. "Make 'er get on her knees. Stupid bitch kicked me hard."

She could feel the metal of the gun against her head. "You heard him. Get on your knees and put your hands by your face." When she didn't move, the man pushed his weapon against her in warning. "Now! And no funny witch business!"

Hermione slowly knelt on the dirty road, doing as he said. They knew she was a witch, but she didn't know what magicals would use Muggle weaponry. Would they notice if she tried a spell? Was that a risk she was willing to take? The standard defense shields didn't protect against bullets, and she wasn't that good wandlessly to throw up a stronger one. She needed time to think of a plan.

Hermione looked at the man she'd chased. "You knew I was asking about Isis' temple."

The man nodded. "We was told to keep an eye out for any foreigners interested in her, and report-"

"Shut up!" The other man hissed. "You don't get to ask the questions, lady. Why do you want to know about the temple? You ain't one of those magic pigs."

"I'm doing some thesis work on Isis and her importance to the magical Egyptian population," Hermione explained. Let them think she wasn't an Auror. "That temple was my next stop, but it's been blocked off. I wanted to see when it would be open again." She let her voice take on a trembling note. "Please don't kill me. I didn't mean any harm."

The man in front of her stared at her display, and Hermione willed her eyes to get wet. If she could only convince one of them…

The gun hesitated against her hair, the man pulling away slightly, before being slammed back against her skull. She grit her teeth against crying out. "I don't believe you. We watched you and your friends, and you dress like one of them."

She didn't need to ask what 'one of them' meant. "They're my bodyguards. I dress like this to blend in with them. It's dangerous for someone like me to travel alone… Please, if you contact my Professor, she'll pay you handsomely for my safe return. I don't know what's going on here; I'm only a student."

She was starting to think she might have to risk being shot when the man in front of her took a step back, eyes wide with fear. The gun disappeared from the back of her head, muffled scuffling following its departure. She watched as a shadow in black materialized, and caught the terrified man in a headlock. He struggled, but the black-robed man kept firm, placing a hand against his mouth to silence his pleading cries for help. Hermione recognized the uniform of the Medjai though she didn't know who was with her.

She got to her feet, summoning her wand as she did. She turned to face the other Medjai. He held his sword against the man's stomach, another Medjai holding her would-be killer with his hands twisted behind his back. Hermione saw the tensing of his muscles, knew he meant to kill him if she didn't intervene.

She rushed forward, knocking the Medjai's sword to the side and standing in front of her assailant. "Don't kill him. He has questions I need answered."

The Medjai sheathed his sword but didn't give his man the command to let her attacker go. His hands went to the cloth of his head coverings, bringing them down to reveal familiar dark hair and eyes. "The Medjai do not take it lightly when someone tries to harm their wives."

Ardeth. Hermione stepped into his arms, circling her arms around his neck and breathing in his scent. He pulled her tight against him, head bending down to kiss the top of her head. "You seem to have gotten into trouble," he murmured.

"I'm on a case," she told him. "I would have figured something out in a minute."

"You did not leave Egypt."

She bit her lip. What to tell him? "I did, but evidence brought me back here." She pulled away, placing her palms on his chest. "I thought you were on your way somewhere else."

"We were," he agreed. "Word came to us of the disturbance of other ruins here in Cairo, and it was agreed we would see to this before going to our other destination." He frowned. "Only, we arrived and can no longer get into the ruins. They have been sealed against us."

"Cairo's Auror's." Hermione sighed internally. She was going to have to bring him on, she just knew it. "There was an incident, a magical one. I don't know all the details yet, but they would have placed a Ward against intrusion by anyone but them."

Ardeth did not look happy. "That will not sit well with the other leaders and the elders. They are mistrustful of magic as it is."

Hermione determined there was no leaving him out of this, but that talk could wait until they were alone. She turned away from him, forcing his arms to drop from their hold around her as she placed herself in front of the bound man. The other man was brought forward by the Medjai, making him kneel on the ground. He was sniffling, eyes frantically darting to each of them. She decided to question him first. He'd be easier to break. "You were waiting for me," she told him. "Why?"

"Not you 'fically," the man whimpered. "I was just told to keep an eye on the magic pigs, and tail anyone who asked about the temple."

"Shut up, you idiot!"

"I didn't know you was one of their wives," he blubbered. "We don't mess with the tribes! I promise!"

That was interesting. She'd gotten a sense that the Medjai were respected in the cities, but this was the first time she'd seen someone scared of them. Hermione tried a different tactic. "Your people respect the Medjai greatly, don't they?"

He nodded. "They protect the people. Everyone knows that."

"They do," Hermione agreed. She crouched down in front of him, causing him to focus on her with leaking eyes. "You should know… The man you're protecting is trying to interfere with their duty. They can't protect the people of Egypt if he continues like this. Do you understand me?" He nodded. "Tell me what you know. I can get you protection."

He shook his head miserably, side-eyeing the other man who was seething next to him. "He'll kill me. He has magic."

"Look at me." When she did, she held up her wand. "You see this? This means I have magic too. I promise to protect you."

He looked at her, eyes unsure. "You's one of them cops?"

She nodded. "I'm one of them. I'm looking for that man. He's done some terrible things, and I need to find him."

The other man spit on the ground, renewing his struggle. "I fucking knew it. Dirty pigs! Don't tell them anything! I should've shot you when I had the chance!" He grunted as soon as the words left his mouth, and Hermione knew Ardeth had punched him.

"You protect me?"

She gave him an encouraging smile. "I've been up against him before, and I won."

"Okay, Okay." He nodded to himself, twisting in the Medjai's hold. "If you's say you can keep me safe, I 'lieve you." He grinned at her. "Sorry about jumpin' you."

She gave him a small laugh. "That's alright. I kicked you pretty hard. Why don't you start with your first contact?"

He opened his mouth, eyes solely on her. Hermione kept her focus on him, needing to keep his concentration on her. She'd didn't see the other man renew his fight with increased strength, the Medjai struggling to keep him contained. Before he could speak his first sentence, his companion lunged far enough to spit on him. The red-tinged ball of fluid hit him in the face. The man whispered something, too low for Hermione to make out, but she knew in the back of her mind it was not any of the dialects of Egypt. The man in front of her started convulsing, eyes rolling to the back of his head.

Hermione cursed, commanding the Medjai to let him go and lowered him to the ground as best she could. She ran her wand over him, picking up familiar bits of magic. Dolohov had cursed him, probably something of his own creation. She started a standard counter-curse, but she knew it would do no good. A curse breaker as brilliant as Dolohov would fine-tune his creations. She was proved correct when her counter caused blood to start dribbling from the man's mouth. They were losing him.

She tightened her grip on her wand, looking at his pitiful face. He had information she needed. This could be the breakthrough that would make her boss take her seriously. She didn't have the time to find a way to undo this curse. It was too fast-acting, meant to kill and be done with it. She knew what she had to do.

Throwing a glare at the man watching his friend dying with satisfaction, she snapped, "Hold him!"

Hermione leaned over her dying informant-she didn't even know his name-brushing disheveled hair out of his eyes. "I'm sorry," she whispered. Pressing the tip of her wand to his temple, she locked somber eyes with his terrified ones. "Legilimens."

His memories were everywhere. She got impressions of events from his childhood to crimes he'd committed as an adult. With his body and mind shutting down, it was hard for Hermione to control what she saw. She saw the temple, struggled to stay with that memory, but another won. A group of men were running around in confusion, a few dropping and staring up in horror. The scene changed to a person hidden beneath a dark cloak. They pointed a wand at something, but Hermione couldn't distinguish what type of wand it was.

The man died. Hermione was thrown out of his mind, falling on her butt from the shock. For one instant, in the moment that he died and before the magic stopped working, she'd felt her conscious being dragged with him. Was that an effect of the curse, or something that occurred because she was in his mind when he died? Hermione didn't know.

The figure in the cloak, she was sure that was Dolohov. She glanced towards the other man, intent on interrogating him, but he was dead. His body was on its side, blood pooling beneath a wound in his stomach, eyes staring straight ahead. Damn it. Her shoulders slumped, eyes jumping to Ardeth. "Was that necessary?"

Ardeth leaned down and picked her up off the ground. "He renewed his attempt to get to you. I did not want to risk the chance of him doing to you what he did to that man." He cupped her cheek, searching her eyes with his. "You do not look alright."

She _was_ tired. "Things have been a little rough since I last saw you." She closed her eyes, letting herself rub her cheek against his palm. "Is it weird that I missed you even though we weren't parted for long?"

Hermione felt Ardeth press his lips to her forehead. "No," he murmured. "I missed you as well."

She let herself bask in him surrounding her for a few moments before sighing and opening her eyes. "I need to call my partner, send information on this incident to my boss, and then put in a courtesy report to the local Auror's." Her eyes narrowed as she thought about the Head Auror. Perhaps she could play this in their favor. "If you'd like to keep your involvement a secret, you and your men need to leave for the time being."

"You know what is going on at the temple?"

She nodded. "Yes, and it connects to Thinis." He stiffened. "I'm sorry, Ardeth. I promise to fill you in, but I need everyone to clear out for a while."

Ardeth signaled to his men, kissing her forehead one more time before stepping back. "We will be waiting nearby."

She waited until they had blended with the shadows before looking down at the two dead men at her feet. Merlin, this was going to be fun.

* * *

"We weren't even separated that long," Theo said as he nudged one of the bodies with his boot.

Hermione was leaning against a wall, arms crossed over her chest. She shrugged. "What can I say? I inspire violence in others." She eyes the blond that had apparated here with Theo. "Was it necessary to bring him? There's nothing he can do here."

Draco shoved his hands in his pockets. "Piss off, Granger. Why did you contact the local Auror's? Doesn't an attack on you make this an ICW case?"

"Granger doesn't want to wait until a warrant comes in before entering the temple. She's going to bargain an exchange of information and the cooperation of the locals." Theo looked up at her. "It's a smart move. The boss here in Cairo is the type of man that needs to know what is going on in his territory."

"My thoughts exactly," she agreed. "He's already upset at the prospect of losing the tie he has." She glanced over as she sensed someone trying to get through the cloaked barrier she'd put up. "He's here. Do me a favor, Malfoy? Don't talk."

The Auror was not happy when she and Theo stepped through the barrier. "Sir," she greeted coolly.

"What is going on here! I received your note with no information, and I can't make it past this seal!"

Hermione shrugged. "What's going on is what I stated in my letter, Auror…"

"Arian," he grit out.

She'd known that. "Auror Arian. Two Muggle men with ties to my case attacked me in this alley. Unfortunately, they both died, and this is now an active crime scene."

"My crime scene."

Theo scoffed, "Please, Arian. Any attack made on an Auror of the ICW lands the case in our jurisdiction."

"This attack is connected to my case."

"Tough."

Hermione sent Theo a look. "Come on, Nott. Don't be such a jerk." She sent Arian an apologetic smile. "Look, I get it, but this is our jurisdiction. They're connected to an open case that happens to be time-sensitive. I can send you a report on this when we've closed it."

The Cairo-based Auror did not like that. "When you've closed it! That could take a while. You can't expect me to keep that temple closed indefinitely. The Muggles will start to suspect something."

"The temple isn't a big tourist attraction anymore," Hermione pointed out. "You can spin a story, get the government on your side. It's all standard procedure."

Theo looked at Hermione. "Didn't you say that visitors aren't allowed inside the building at all? All they can do is look at the outside anyway."

Auror Arian blew out a breath. "I have dead Egyptian citizens, our kind of citizens. You can't expect me to go to sleep every night knowing I am doing nothing for them."

Hermione gave him a sympathetic look, more real this time because she understood where he was coming from on that front. "I do apologize, but these are the rules. If it helps, the person we're after is likely responsible for all of this. Our warrant should arrive in a few days at most. You'll get your answers then."

She gestured for Theo to head back inside the barrier, intending to make a show of following him. She only made it a few steps before he was laying a hand on her arm. "Wait."

She watched Theo's lips lift the slightest bit before he disappeared. Hermione turned back around, crossing her arms and giving him a wary look. "Yes?"

He sighed in frustration, pinching the bridge of his nose as he regarded her. "You're a smart one."

"So I've been told."

Arian shook his head. "I still want that warrant, but I'll let you guys go in now." He hesitated, making Hermione's suspicions flare. "I may have omitted some details about the case. The victims are not dead, but they might as well be."

"Oh?" Hermione narrowed her eyes, trying to ignore the fact that he'd just confessed to lying to them. The gall of local Auror's! "Why is that?"

"There's nothing left. Their eyes are empty. They require no food, water, sleep. There simply exists a shell where the person used to be."


	7. Chapter 7

**Welcome to the next chapter of The Witch and The Medjai! I held off on posting this with the hope that I would have completed the next one already, but no dice. I'm working on it today though, so fingers crossed it gets out next Saturday.  
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**Thank you for the reviews! I love hearing what you think. Comments are part of what feeds my Muse and keep her going!  
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**Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 7**

Dementors. There were frigging Dementors in that temple.

Hermione relayed the news to her small team once Cairo's Auror's had gotten a good look at the scene and were satisfied. She'd taken down the barrier once the bodies were removed, not seeing any other need to keep this alleyway blocked. She discreetly concentrated on the magic in her ring, trying to locate its partner. "Auror Arian is sending me the information they have, but from what I can gather, they haven't been able to get passed the Dementors to search the temple."

"Makes sense," Theo said as they walked down the street. "A majority of the world doesn't have to put up with Dementors or those like them. I imagine a Patronus isn't exactly taught in these parts."

"They should be," Hermione insisted. "There are still Lethifold's to consider, and they have been known to pop up in parts of Egypt. It's sloppy training."

Theo shook his head, sending her an amused glance. "What are you going to do about it? Pioneer a change in the way Auror's are trained?"

"Why shouldn't there be a set standard worldwide? You never know what conditions you'll find yourself in-"

"Alright, enough of that soapbox," Draco interrupted. "The question is; How are we going to search the temple ourselves? Neither Theo or I can cast a Patronus." He pointed to his covered arm when Hermione glanced at him in surprise. "Marked, remember?"

Hermione shook her head as she suddenly changed directions, headed down a lesser populated street. "That doesn't mean anything. Only the truly evil can't cast a Patronus. You're either not trying hard enough, or you don't have the memories to sustain the spell." She sighed, "That's still a problem, though. I can only cast one Patronus at a time, and…" She glanced down to her covered arm. "I succumb more easily to dark magic effects."

"Still?" Draco asked quietly.

"It's not as bad as it used to be. I just won't be able to hold off more than a handful." Hermione focused her attention on where Ardeth was, seeing a group of men in the distance dressed all in black. She turned to face Theo and Draco, causing them to stop in their tracks. "The case became a little more complicated than we originally thought." She looked at Theo. "I'm sorry I didn't bring it up right away, but I was trying to avoid bringing them in unless we had no choice."

Theo's eyes moved over her shoulder. "Does this have something to do with the lot looking our way?"

"Yes."

He shared a look with Draco, shrugged. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. We all have our secrets."

Hermione wanted to know what that meant, but she felt Ardeth's presence behind her. He greeted her companions with a nod, placing a hand on her lower back. "We have a place to meet. I will join you three while the rest keep watch outside."

She let him guide her, leaving Theo and Draco to keep pace behind them. She could only see his eyes; the rest of his face was covered. Still, he looked at her with concern. "What is it? Is there more trouble?"

"You still look tired."

"This case just keeps adding new things." Her brows furrowed. "Are you feeling that, because of our rings? I don't think my fatigue is _that_ strong."

Ardeth's hand moved up her back, Hermione shivering from the feel of his rough hand on her. His hand settled where it was before, rubbing small circles into her shirt. "I don't need magic to know what you're feeling."

The murmured words had her cheeks turning slightly red. Knowing she couldn't stop and kiss him like they had the other night, despite her growing desire to do so, Hermione gave him a tender smile. The Medjai that had come with Ardeth greeted them with simple nods before her group moved inside. The apartment was simple, empty. "Who does this belong to?"

"It is one of the numerous safe havens we have in the event one of us is wounded," Ardeth told her as he led her to the single chair among the couches. Ardeth sat on the arm of the chair, gesturing for Theo and Draco to take a seat on the sofa in front of them. "You can tell me why we are blocked from the temple, and how this pertains to the old tombs."

"Right. Introductions first." Hermione got to her feet, not able to sit down. "Theo, Draco, this is Ardeth Bay; one of the leaders of the Medjai. Theo is the other Auror assigned to this case with me, and Draco was brought on as a consultant."

"Ardeth," Theo said, giving her a look. She nodded.

"The Medjai were said to have dispersed over the years," Draco said to Ardeth. His eyes were lit up with interest. "Some integrated with the new police while others continued their nomadic lifestyle. They've faded rather quickly from history even though they were an important security force for the pharaoh's."

Theo shook his head at the contained glee in Draco's tone. "You see why I brought him on?"

Ardeth nodded at Draco's words. "Yes, it was easier for the rest of the world to believe the Medjai of old was no more. The secrecy helps us perform our duties. The people of Egypt will always know, but they tend to have more fear and respect for the old temples and tombs."

Hermione leaned against the window frame, glancing outside every few seconds through the sheer curtain while they talked. She could see a few Medjai placed in different locations, seemingly blending in with the locals. She shook her head in thought. With how heavily armed they were, and they were far from discreet about it, there had to be some magic behind their ability to be ignored.

"Married?"

She turned her attention back to the men at Draco's astonished tone. "What?"

Theo rolled his eyes. "Draco was asking how you had connections to such a distinguished group of people, and Ardeth was telling us of your impending nuptials. Congratulations, you've sent him into shock."

Draco glared in Theo's direction. "I'm not in shock, you git."

Hermione decided they needed to get down to business before Draco said something insulting. She could see it on the tip of his tongue. Besides, she could see the impatient gleam in Ardeth's eyes. "If you're done being interested in my love life, maybe we can talk about the case." She looked at her partner, he nodded. "Theo and I received a capture order for a fugitive we thought was dead. His last known sighting was at a location in Iceland that didn't have any type of significance, Muggle or magical."

Theo leaned back in his seat. "That is, until we examined the site a bit more and realized there was a veil masking the presence of an Egyptian temple."

"A veil is a type of magic that conceals… well, anything," Hermione explained at Ardeth's questioning look in her direction. "The temple was ancient, but there was no sign of the wear and tear that commonly occurs over time. We suspect it was because of the veil. I deciphered a stone tablet written in Hieratic that detailed the fall of a man who went to war with the Gods of Egypt. I thought the information trivial, but Theo remembered a story very similar to this one."

Ardeth rose from his seat, choosing to lean against the wall. "What was the story?" He listened intently as Hermione recounted the tale. "That sounds like a legend known to the Medjai. It speaks of a man who was foolish enough to play with magic far too powerful for him to control. The Gods took the magic from him and entrusted the bound powers to the Pharaoh. He, in turn, ordered them hidden so that no one would be tempted to seek the power for themselves. Even the hiding places are not known to the Medjai today. Did this temple have the symbol of our people anywhere on it?"

Hermione looked at Theo, but he only shrugged. "I'll be honest; once we made it into the room and made these discoveries, I wasn't paying attention. But considering the location and concealment, I doubt Muggles were ever meant to know about it."

Ardeth rubbed a hand over his beard, stopping as he considered something. "Was this when you were hurt?"

She bit her lip, looking outside again. "We ran into a trap that was hard to dispel."

"Is that what you call a Basilisk?" Theo snorted, looking at Ardeth. "Don't let her fool you, mate. We were caught by surprise, the damn snake shouldn't have been there, but we handled it."

"_Anyway_," Hermione took over after shooting Theo a glare. "Draco was brought on as a consultant because of his interest and knowledge in Egypt, among other things. The wizarding version of this story hints at a way to find the first orb. We discovered that the tablet containing the story would reveal the location of the place we needed to be under the right light. It was the Pillars, which-"

"Cairo, and you chose your temple because it belongs to Isis."

"He gets it," Draco whispered to Theo and received an elbow to the side in return.

"It was destroyed long ago by war, will be furthermore as Cairo expands. Yet, we were always told it was a site that needed our protection," Ardeth murmured. "You said this has to do with Thinis?"

"The four orbs, once together, can be taken to the Valley of Kings and be shown the way to the Valley of the Gods." Hermione lifted her shoulders in a clueless shrug before he could question her. "I have no idea what's there that is so important, but if this man is looking for it, then it can't be good."

"You think this fugitive has already been inside the temple here?"

Hermione and Theo grimaced. "It is more than likely that the orb housed here is gone, but we won't know where to go next unless we retrace his steps. It's why we needed access to the temple. That reminds me," Theo said as he turned his attention to Hermione. "Were you able to pull an image of Dolohov out of this man's head? That should be sufficient enough to send an entire unit as backup."

Hermione released an aggravated sigh. "No, I saw a figure that was probably Dolohov, but he was cloaked. The man died, and I was thrown out of his head before I could get anything else." She pursed her lips, not seeing Theo's eyes widening in shock. "Now that I know about the Dementors, the first useful memory I came across makes sense. As a Muggle-"

She gasped as Theo grabbed her by the shoulders, too shocked to do something like throw him off or kick him. He shook her. "You didn't tell me the reason you were thrown out was because of the man dying, Granger."

Then his hands were being dislodged, an arm coming around her and pulling her against their side. Ardeth. "Do not lay hands on her again," he warned. His other hand gripped the metal handle at his side.

Theo threw his hands up, Draco standing from the couch with his wand casually in his hand. "I need to examine her. Look, healing is my specialty. Granger will start going through some nasty side effects from being connected to a dead man's mind if I don't give her something for it."

Hermione shook her head, patting Ardeth's arm so that he could let her go. He didn't. "It was only for a second. I doubt there's anything to be worried about."

"Fatigue, scattered thoughts, headaches," Theo listed symptoms like bullets. "I can see it all over you. Don't tell me how to do my job."

She scoffed, pushing away from Ardeth and planting her hands on her hips. "Maybe I'm tired because we've been running around in the sun. Maybe my brain is everywhere at once because _Antonin Dolohov_ is running around Egypt doing Merlin knows what. _Maybe_ I have a bloody headache because _you_ are yelling at me!"

She huffed out a breath, chest heaving from her tirade. She felt herself grow dizzy, the lights blurring before her eyes. She took one step back, stumbling into a pair of arms. They closed around her, the strength comforting though Hermione couldn't remember why at the moment.

The next thing she knew she was in a chair, head between her knees. She felt the tip of a wand at her temple, Theo's voice murmuring steadily above her. Her head was clearing by the second, soothing magic sweeping over her mind. The first thing she saw was dark eyes framed by equally dark curls. His head coverings had come off, his hair disheveled. His hands were holding hers, thumbs rubbing into her flesh. When their eyes met, Ardeth's glinted with relief. She smiled softly. "Hi."

He frowned. "That is the second time in under a week that I have felt you in trouble. I do not like it."

Someone snickered in the background. Hermione tried not to hunch her shoulders. "It's the Auror life."

"So I was told." Ardeth shook his head. "That does not mean I have to like it. You will do as this Theo tells you, for my peace of mind."

"You heard him, Granger." Theo took his wand away, placing it in its holster. "I recommend a full twenty-four hours rest. The spell I used is only temporary, and things like adrenaline will end the effects quicker. I need to send for the potion you need, and that will take a bit if they've run out of stock."

Hermione scowled, not liking his words whatsoever. "That's your recommendation, but we both know we don't have that kind of time. Getting inside this temple will only tell us where he's gone next. He already has the orb."

Theo nodded grimly at her words. "Yes, but your health is important too. An off Auror is a dead Auror, we both know that." He held up his hand when she opened her mouth. "So, partner, I'm suggesting a compromise. I don't let the bosses know you're not medically fit, and we'll go into the temple as soon as a team of Patronus-wielding Auror's get here. You said so yourself, having to stave off a pack of Dementors will be too much for only you."

She looked away, nodding in acceptance. It was a sound plan, even if she thought he was also blackmailing her. The word of a Healer was bond in the ICW. If they thought you weren't fit for the field, they would take you off the field. Then again, the ICW had a low fatality rate, so maybe they were wise in operating that way. She squeezed Ardeth's hands, pushing off the seat. "I'm going to lay down then while you make those preparations. I want to see if I can predict Dolohov's next movements."

"I will show you the room." Ardeth led her away after he dipped his head to Theo and Draco. The room he took her to was sparsely furnished, holding a simple bed big enough for two people and a nightstand with a lamp sitting on top. There was a single oval mirror hanging on a wall, the only decoration. Yes, sparse fit the description of this room, but it was telling. The Medjai were simple people.

Ardeth was on her as soon as he closed the door. He gathered her in his arms, holding her still as his mouth plundered hers. Hermione's arms were pinned under his when all she wanted to do was tangle her hands in his curls, so she moved closer to him, returning his kiss with equal enthusiasm. He walked them until the backs of her knees hit the bed, and she was laying down on the sheets. He shifted on top of her, her legs moving around his waist. Hermione pulled him closer, hands finally twisting in his hair. Ardeth moved against her, their moans and harsh breathing filling the room. She thought she would die right there; the friction was too much.

And then he stopped, mouth falling to her pulse. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just needed you…"

Hermione shifted, causing him to jerk and her to bite her lip. "Don't be," she panted. "I need you too. Merlin, I want you so much." She moved the slightest bit again.

"Hermione," he growled. "You need to stop. If this goes any further…"

She didn't stop. "Please, Ardeth." She closed her eyes when his tongue darted out to lick that spot on her neck he'd been very pleased to discover months prior. He was struggling not to move, but he would jerk every time she moved her hips. "Please."

The last plea did him in. He spoke in whispers against her ear as he moved in earnest, Hermione unable to make out what he said with the pleasure building inside her. They were still separated by their clothes, not truly joined in the way they wanted to be, but it was enough. Ardeth kissed her and ground into her one more time before jerking and stilling. His mouth muffled Hermione's cry, her body jolting upwards. She'd felt his release, the pleasure bursting inside him just before she came. It had pushed her over the edge completely.

Ardeth rolled onto his back, looping an arm around her waist and tucking her against his side. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, the skin damp from their exertion. "We take vows as soon as this is over."

Hermione giggled, the sound muffled by his clothes. "I don't have a problem with that. I'd marry you now if I thought no one would kill us afterward."

"Don't tempt me," he warned. His eyes lifted to the ceiling, his head shaking slowly. "We were just told you were to have as little excitement as possible." His hand moved to her hair, gently playing with the strands on her scalp.

Hermione burrowed closer, closing her eyes. "I feel fine. Nott's just being cautious." She fought a yawn. "You need to stop doing that, or I'm going to fall asleep."

"Good. You need to sleep according to your partner."

She let those words sink in, her body content to lay against him for as long as he was there. She shook her head after a while, forcing herself to sit up. Ardeth's hand fell from her hair, landing on the pillow he wasn't using. "I need to think about what Dolohov will do next. There are too many variables for proper Arithmancy, but I _know_ how he thinks."

Ardeth sat up as well, leaving the bed to stand by the window as she'd done earlier. "You have a history with this man, to know his mind that way."

Hermione flopped back down on the sheets, frowning at the ceiling. "When we've spent time together at Bill's… You've seen the purple scar that runs across my lower abdomen."

"Yes." She'd refused to talk about it, and the others, often changing the subject or distracting him.

"Antonin Dolohov gave that to me when I was sixteen years old," she told him. "It was a curse meant to kill me, but I'd silenced him beforehand. I ended up surviving thanks to a skilled Potions Master and a dedicated Mediwitch. He's never let it go." She closed her eyes, lining up what she knew in her mind. "He was presumed dead years ago on the word of one of my old Professor's. I wrote that up after going through every one of his crimes and cataloging everything I could about him for the official record. I know him better than anyone else other than him."

"If he is so dangerous and a wanted man, why were only two of you sent?"

She snorted, "Because he's laid low all these years. None of his curses have popped up on our radar, no sightings. Theo and I _both_ requested additional people but were denied due to personal dealings; they think us paranoid." She sat up, thrumming her fingers on her knee. "But that's the thing. He's _had_ years to plan and build up his resources. We're only seeing him now because he doesn't feel the need to hide anymore. He knows what he needs and is on a mission to get them. The only fatality I can pin on him right now is the murder of that man in the alley, and _only _because it was his curse that killed him." She sighed, "The good thing is we know his eventual destination. He'll need to go to Thinis once he has all the orbs."

Ardeth's voice was grim as he spoke. "I sent a message while waiting for you. A dozen men are already on their way to guard the tombs."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with repressed sympathy. "They'll die if they cross him."

"There is always a chance one of us will die performing our duties." Ardeth crossed his arms over his chest. "I thought about joining them. Why should I send these men to their deaths without going myself?" He looked at her. "But I knew our best chance lay with me staying with you. I have faith that we will catch up to this Dolohov before my men are in any danger."

Hermione swallowed against the sudden force in her throat. He was trusting her to ensure his men came home. Faith. She only hoped his faith wasn't misplaced.


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome to Chapter 8! I hope everyone is doing okay with all the craziness out there! **

**Thank you so much for the reviews! They feed my muse and keep her going!**

**Enjoy! Let me know what you think in the reviews!**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

"I don't think I heard you right."

Theo looked around the room before gesturing for her to follow him into the kitchen. The little apartment was filled with Medjai. Draco was busy asking them questions, surprising Hermione with how at ease they were acting around him. She knew about their aversion to magic. It had taken her a good _month _for any of the men to even nod in her direction. Ardeth was conferring with two of the men in their group. Few had heard her exclamation, but Hermione knew this was something best discussed away from everyone.

"Your hearing is fine. We've been denied again."

Hermione ran a hand through her hair, shaking her head in disbelief. "How could we be denied? All we're asking for is men to handle a Dementor nest."

"That's it," Theo said in disgust. "One, neither of us has confirmed the nest exists outside a Muggle's memory. Two, if Dolohov isn't there, they don't feel we should be wasting our time going through the temple. They doubt he was there in the first place as there's no evidence."

Hermione let out a noise that could only be called frustrated rage, throwing up her hand to muffle their conversation. "Are they idiots? They _know_ we won't know where Dolohov went if we don't get into that temple! What do they expect us to do, try not to die so we confirm what we already know is there?" She started pacing the length of the kitchen, her thoughts swirling. "Something is going on, Nott."

"I'm going to be honest; I thought something was up from the start." Theo shrugged at her look. "Dolohov was wanted in multiple countries, not just ours. We stumble upon a possible bid for ancient magic that would have stayed undiscovered if it weren't for him. Yet, they insist on only keeping the assignment to the two of us? We're good, Granger, but more is always better."

Hermione didn't like where her thoughts were going. "He has someone under his thumb at headquarters, someone high enough to keep track of our mission."

"He's had months to set this up," he agreed. "If you think about it. The logical conclusion would have always been to send you after him once he was spotted. You know him best. You're one of the best Curse Breakers we have."

Not better than him. She thought about the man lying terrified as he died from a curse she couldn't beat. It was easier to believe she couldn't have done anything for him. "You were sent first."

"Because you were on unofficial leave, and I requested it. They were going to assign you alone, but you claimed magical exhaustion. I pulled the Healer card and argued that your first case back shouldn't be by yourself." Theo leaned against the counter, his face set in displeased tones. "Suspecting this, I decided putting in an order for your potion was too risky. We can't risk them pulling you on medical grounds. I've sent for the ingredients from my own stores, but it'll take time to brew."

"How long?" She asked.

"Twenty-four hours once I get started."

Hermione nodded and moved on. There was nothing to be done for that. "This leaves us with little choice. We have to get into the temple tonight."

"It'll be suicide," Theo's voice was accepting. "We'll have to risk there only being a couple at most for you to hold them off long enough for us to trap them."

The risk was high, extremely, but what choice did they have? It wasn't like she could call on anyone back home to come help. The…

Hermione reversed the spell on their conversation. "Give me an hour and then meet me at the temple."

"Why? Where are you going?" Theo asked when she took out her wand.

"To get more help." She apparated, leaving Theo to face the sudden silence that had descended over the apartment.

* * *

Hermione caught him as he was leaving Gringotts. "Bill!"

Bill spun around, surprise on his features. "Hey, Mione. Are you done with your case already? That was quicker than you thought."

"Not exactly." She circled her arm with his. "I need your help, but we need to circumvent your Gringotts vows."

Bill winced. "Oh, Mione. You know they hate that."

Hermione looked up at him seriously. "I'll explain everything, but right now I need you to run inside and get the paperwork that will allow me to conscript you to my case. We only have an hour before we have to be somewhere."

"Conscription…"

"Means you don't have a choice, and you'll be jinxed against revealing anything you see or learn unless I release it." She shrugged impatiently, a quick jerk of her shoulder, when he only gave her another pained look. "It's the only way I could think of to get your help officially without issues. We don't have the time to sit down with the Goblins and negotiate."

"What's going on?" he asked with concern.

Hermione shook her head, wishing she could spill everything to him without going through hoops. "Not until that paperwork is filled out."

Forty-five minutes later, Bill was clenching his jaw once they'd apparated to a point near the temple. "I can't believe this was your case. The bastard is supposed to be dead."

"Now he can rot in prison for the rest of his life knowing his little survivor put him away."

Bill stopped her from walking into the street, looking down at her with a dark expression. "You know he won't let that happen. You'll have to kill him, or me, or Nott. Hell, it doesn't matter who. As long as he dies."

Hermione jerked away from him. She wasn't going to admit to him that he was probably right. "My orders were to capture, not to kill. We're not assassins. We will do the best we can to bring him in, and the law will do the rest." Bill let out a disbelieving snort. "He's an international criminal," she insisted. "He'll never walk away free."

"You just said he might have someone on the inside."

"We'll get to the bottom of that too," she swore. "Nott and I will make it our personal mission once this is over." She started walking, eager to clear out the nest and get back on track.

"Theodore Nott Jr _and_ Draco Malfoy," Bill said the names in amusement. "Not who I pictured you working with, ever."

"Theo's alright, maybe a little too Healer-prone for my tastes." Hermione curled her lips. "Draco knows his stuff, I'll give him that. He's still a prick, though."

"I think you need a partner that will make you take care of yourself. You obviously can't do it."

Hermione stepped on his foot with her boot, never breaking stride as she walked ahead of him. Their group was already at the ruined temple. The number of Medjai had lowered, there were only three of them, including Ardeth. He was the only one not covered up, the other two standing on either side of him in full disguise. His eyes flickered with approval when he saw Bill.

Theo approached them. "Doesn't he work for Gringotts? Are we sure we want the Goblins catching details of anything we find from this point on?"

Bill shrugged, giving Hermione a pointed look. "She abused her powers as an international Auror and conscripted me. I can't reveal anything to them until she says I can."

"It's not abuse," Hermione grumbled. "He's the only other person in the country I know of that can cast a Patronus. By the time Gringotts sends the request for filing, we'll be done with this temple."

"The copy you submitted will have gone directly into the case file," Theo pointed out.

"You know what?" Hermione asked, looking to the sky in contemplation. "I think I may have accidentally sent it to the box of paperwork in my office that gets taken at the end of the week. It'll get put in Dolohov's file then, so no harm done. What's a few days?"

Bill rolled his eyes. "Still breaking rules, I see."

"Skirting them actually," Theo said, pleased. They walked to the broken temple, the first part of the building was not much more than wrecked walls. It was the rest of the structure they were interested in. "This place hasn't been accessible since the war that destroyed it in the first place, but Draco says there were always parts of the temple barred from the public. How much do you want to bet those restricted places are where we need to be?"

"Wards to prevent questions from Muggles," Bill said casually. "Common in areas with a heavy Muggle population."

"And the Dementors," Hermione added. "The same Wards used to keep them in Azkaban before must be used here as well, or else they'd have already escaped into Cairo."

Draco and Bill acknowledged each other with polite nods, not able to say anything to the other as Hermione started laying down the plan. It was fairly simple. Bill and Hermione would enter the temple first and trap the Dementor's into a contained area, and Ward them in. From there, the rest of the group would enter and they'd look for the location of the orb. The strategy was sparse at best with too many possible holes, but without extensive knowledge on the temple in the first place, it was hard to come up with a more decent game plan.

She knew of so many things that could go wrong. What happened if there were no closed-off areas to trap the Dementors? What happened if Dolohov left them a surprise they didn't detect fast enough? What happened if, now that the orb was gone-she knew in her heart that it was-, the next location was no longer visible? All these thoughts ran through her head, but she signaled her readiness to Bill when it was time. In the end, it didn't matter what was left for them, they would deal with whatever came.

They came to a stop in front of the entrance to the next part of the temple. Hermione could feel the strong magic surrounding it. There was no deep chill or intense negative feelings, though she knew that would change as soon as they stepped through that entrance. The Ward was strong.

"If you don't hear anything from us in the next twenty minutes," Bill told them gravely. "Get help. Don't try to come in after us."

Hermione gave Ardeth a small smile before facing the doorway and lifting her wand. She had the incantation ready to leave her lips as soon as she stepped through the Ward. She concentrated on surrounding herself in positive thoughts; happy memories at the forefront of her mind. As prepared as she was ever going to be, she walked forward.

The cold seeped through her clothes as soon as she crossed the threshold. All she could do was stand there and get over the shock of how chilled the temple was. Her breath came out in white puffs, her long shirt and trousers doing nothing to protect her body against the sharp change in temperature.

"They're here alright," Bill murmured from behind her. "But where are they?"

Hermione shrugged in answer, but the question was enough for her to get her body moving. She walked around the room, looking for any openings that might lead to a dead end. There were three hallways in the chamber, one on each side that wasn't the entrance. If they could find one quickly enough, they could lure the Dementor's in and trap them before the suffocating feeling became too much for both of them.

They didn't keep the pair of Curse Breakers waiting for long. Hermione felt the chill worsen, her back stiffening at the onslaught of cold. She spun on her heel, raising her wand at the cloaked creature flying at her. "Expecto Patronum!"

The otter swam out, lazily circling around her in protection. Bill's wolf crashed into the other two Dementors coming after them, sending them back. Their infuriated shrieks filled the chamber, circling around the two but not able to get to them. Hermione knew her otter would not last. She could already feel the darkness weighing her down, more were coming. She told Bill as much, cursing her inability to last longer.

"Look for a room," Bill ordered. "I'll hold them off."

Hermione didn't argue the order, turning in the direction of the closest hallway to find what they needed.

Her otter swam in front of her, driving back the Dementor that was suddenly in her face. Two more joined it, their black aura's pressing in on her and her guardian. The room was beyond chilled, edging the line to freezing, yet Hermione could feel the sweat down her neck. She backed up against Bill, keeping her wand steady as she took stock of their situation. Bill was holding back a sea of black with two wolves, while Hermione's otter went against three. More were making their way from the direction she'd been planning to run down, flying in her open direction instead of Bill's.

Bill noticed it at the same time she did, pulling her behind him and backing up against the wall. "Bill!" Hermione protested.

"The rest of the temple is out. We can't know what direction they're originating from."

She poured more energy into the spell, thinking of some of her happiest memories. She doubted Bill could summon a third Patronus, her otter couldn't fade without leaving them with a weakened defense. It was hard, her arm throbbed the closer they pressed in. Bill was growling something, his shirt damp, long hair plastered against his head.

Pressed against the wall, Hermione heard the faintest of rustling behind her. It was a long, drawn-out movement, as if something was dragging along the floor. She froze, mind stuttering to a halt, memories flashing back to her second year. The sound had been almost the same then.

Her otter dissipated without her concentration. The Dementor's swooped in. "Hermione!" Bill cried out in alarm. "Expecto Patronum!" Another wolf left his wand, racing to take the spot her otter left. Bill was panting, his wand hand quivering under an unseen strain. "Bloody hell, I'm flagging. Hermione!"

His shouts brought her out of the memory of seeing yellow eyes through the mirror she'd carried for protection. She realized her arm was by her side, no longer raised, and Bill was trying to keep far too many Dementors away by himself. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "We need to end this now. We're about to have more company."

Bill didn't ask what she meant, simply nodding, keeping his eyes focused in front of him. "If we can't find a place to trap them, we'll have to make it ourselves."

"The closest pillar." She readied her wand. "I can transfigure it into a chest, make it bottomless."

"Work fast."

Hermione raised her wand in the direction of the entrance, focusing on one of the chiseled columns. "Reducto!" She summoned the scattered pieces to her side, swirling her wand in the air as she transfigured the stone to durable metal. She used another spell to fuse the metal together into a chest, ensuring there were no points ready to burst open. Another swish made the trap endless, the bottom disappearing into black.

Bill was panting weakly when she finished. She laid a hand on his shoulder. "We'll back up and make a Patronus Shield, herd them into the chest."

"You'll have to ward it after," he told her. "I'm about tapped out."

"One last push," she encouraged. "Then you can send Theo in and we'll handle the Basilisk."

He glanced sharply at her. "What Basilisk?"

"The one slithering in between the walls of this place."

Bill cursed, a low rough sound of unintelligible words. They started backing up to the other side of the room, as far from their original position as they could get. Bill glanced at Hermione and she nodded, shifting all her concentration to as big a shield as she could make. His wolves disappeared, and for one second, all anyone would be able to see if they came in was a blanket of black descending on the two pale figures standing side by side.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Their voices echoed together, loud and strong against the darkness threatening to close in on them. Hermione forced her steps forward, pushing her bluish-white light onward. Their spells combined into one big, warm shield. With the entrance warded against their leaving and the Patronus barrier boxing them in, the Dementor's had no choice but to go where they were sent. She could feel the overwhelming feeling of loss lessening as more and more fled into the chest. The two kept up their assault until their wands were almost inside the transfigured container.

Hermione let the spell fall, quickly closing the chest with her free hand. She murmured spells under her breath, using the same Ward that was already in place around the building. She sliced the skin of her thumb with a quick hex, drawing a locking pattern on the chest for good measure. She sat back once it was done, Bill crashing to his knees next to her. With the light from their spells gone, the chamber was darker than before. Bill wrapped his arms around her, laying his head on hers, her damp curls sticking to his sweaty face. "You sure know how to show a bloke a good time."

She huffed out a laugh. "Oh, you know me. Can't consider you worthy of my time if you can't survive a life or death situation with me."

Bill snorted, "That just makes me overqualified at this point." He waited a moment. "So, what's this about a Basilisk?"

Hermione cursed, struggling to her feet. "Damn it. We need to get out of here. I don't know where the opening is, but I don't want to accidentally trigger the trap."

Bill ran a hand over his face, wearily getting to his feet as well. "I hate half-answers." He grimaced. "Did you notice there were too many Dementors for a place that has been warded against their escape for years?"

She bit her lip, tugging on his hand and pulling him towards the entrance. "Yes, the thought crossed my mind. We need to explore the rooms once we get the others."

"And the snake?"

"I want a concrete plan in place for that before we track it down."

* * *

Hermione was munching on a chocolate bar while Theo and Draco argued about the best way to take care of the Basilisk with minimal fighting. She was seated on the ground outside the building's entrance, sitting between Ardeth's legs with his arms wrapped loosely around her. Bill was seated on the ground next to her, head leaning against the stone with his eyes closed. He was occasionally bringing a hand up to take a bite of the chocolate in his grasp, but Hermione knew he was on the verge of taking a nap.

Three fully corporeal Patronus'; the skill needed for such a feat was great. She only knew of one other person able to hold that many for a long time, and Professor McGonagall hadn't used that trick since the final battle. Hermione _hated _the weakness that came with her scar, _hated_ the residual dark magic that affected her. One bad memory had caused her to falter, and if Bill hadn't been able to hold the spell, they might not have made it out. There had simply been too many.

The thought unsettled her. The Dementors locked away in this temple hadn't been starving or low in number like she'd expected. They'd multiplied over the years, their abilities strong in a way they shouldn't have been after all this time. Everything she knew about the creatures pointed to there being a food source in the temple, but how? There had been no bodies, no bones in the first room to indicate people regularly going in. Of course, Auror Arian could have been responsible for that, but surely he would have told them if they'd come across the signs.

Ardeth tilted her chin up with his finger, giving her a pleased look. "Your color is coming back."

"Chocolate helps." She took another bite after she said it, the rest of the bar starting to wilt from the heat. "I'm sorry you had to hear all that. Neither Bill or I thought the temple wasn't warded against noise."

When they'd staggered out of the building, Theo had been on them, Ardeth nervously scanning her from head to toe. Draco had explained that they could hear every shouted word. Then the Healer had shoved chocolate in their faces, and Hermione had been pulled down to sit and rest while a plan was made.

He grimaced. "Hearing Bill call for you took years off my life."

"Might as well get used to it with her," Bill mumbled from beside them.

"I'm sorry," she repeated. She stuffed the last of the bar in her mouth, chewing the mushy chocolate before letting her head rest on his chest. "On the bright side, it gave you an excuse to hold me."

"I don't need an excuse." His arms tightened around her. "You are mine to hold."

Hermione grinned, closing her eyes and giving in to the need to rest for a little bit. Bill had the right idea. Her magic would recover faster that way.

She was shaken awake twenty minutes later though to Hermione, it felt like she'd just closed her eyes. She was groggy, confused by the sudden silent area. Theo was examining her grimly, shaking his head. "I knew it. Her adrenaline keeps spiking back and forth. It's too much."

"What does that mean?" Ardeth asked.

"It means my spell isn't holding, and she's going to start with those side effects I was talking about."

"_She_ is awake and capable of hearing," Hermione grumbled. She sat up but didn't bother trying to leave the cage that was Ardeth's arms and legs. "Can't you cast the spell again?"

Theo sighed but nodded. "Yes, and I know I have to, but I'm doing it under protest. Increased activity like what we've been doing will only make it wear off quicker."

She shrugged. "There's nothing to be done until you can brew the potion. Have the ingredients come in yet?"

He shook his head.

"In that case, we've had enough time to recover." She finally stood, looking around when she realized why it had been so quiet. Draco and the two other Medjai were gone. "Where is the rest of our party?"

"They went to go grab a rooster," Ardeth told her while Theo pressed his wand to her temple. "Amasis and Musa know someone in the city who can provide one. Your friend took them by your magic transportation."

Hermione grumbled at that. How was it that Draco had won their trust so easily? "We're going with the rooster?"

Theo nodded. "It's the quickest way. Draco knows a charm to bring sunlight that will make it crow. There's too many of us to risk fighting it outright."

Hermione agreed. Unless it was blinded, a Basilisk could easily take out an untrained group within minutes. With the Medjai and Draco, who've probably never encountered a snake like that in their lives, Hermione would classify them as untrained. Really, they would all be considered that way unless anyone was hiding a Magizoologist license in their pocket.

"The temple is fairly small," she told him. "There are three different hallways. The Basilisk will probably be guarding the orb room. The Dementors came from the left-wing, so we can probably cross that out, but Bill and I want to check that part out anyway."

"That's a waste of time," Theo pointed out. "The goal is to find the next location and get going."

"There's something suspicious about the preservation of the Dementor's," Bill spoke up from his place on the ground. "They were too well fed, their numbers too big."

"I need to be thorough," Hermione explained. "Wards can break, especially ones that are meant to keep something trapped if it grows too strong. If someone is feeding them…"

"Then, this temple isn't as left alone as we thought." Theo nodded. "We need to know."

Draco apparated with the two Medjai in tow. One held a metal cage, a rooster fluttering its wings in agitation inside. Draco eyed it warily, glancing to Theo and Hermione. "One bloody rooster, as requested."

Bill got to his feet, rolling his shoulders as he shook off the last of his fatigue. "Where do you want me, Mione?"

She pursed her lips. "You still look tired. Maybe-"

He held up a hand, rolling his eyes. "We're both tired after that shit show, but I want to get this day done so I can scarf down some food and collapse on my bed. Where do you want me?"

Hermione acquiesced, motioning for him to join her in front. Draco and Theo stood at their backs while Ardeth and his brothers stayed in the back. It was protocol for the Auror's to be in the lead, but Theo didn't fight her on it. She was glad. She'd worked with Bill on occasion, they knew each other's rhythm in situations like these.

They entered the building again, passing from hot to chilled in seconds. Even with the Dementors locked up, there was a lingering depressive feeling about the place. It was a testament to how long they'd been here, for the cold and gloom to settle permanently.

"Are you sure they're all gone?" Draco asked in a whisper.

Hermione pointed towards the metal chest, the glyph painted with her blood glowing faintly against the hatch. "They aren't escaping that without help."

"Blood magic," One of the Medjai muttered.

Hermione glanced back, but she couldn't tell which of the two had said it. She directed her answer to the three of them. "Yes. The use of it is a gray area, but I haven't broken any laws using it here." She turned to the left hallway entrance. "Draco, you can take the Medjai through the right hallway while we check something in this one."

"Splitting us up?" Draco questioned.

"It's faster." Hermione shrugged. "And I trust you to notice anything important better than Theo can."

"I'd take offense to that, but it's true. If you run into Herpo the Foul's symbol anywhere at all, come back here as fast as you can," Theo warned. "Don't use any magic. It's how we sprung the trap the last time."

She met Ardeth's eyes, mouthing 'be careful' before turning and leading the way down the path the Dementor's had come from. The hall was devoid of rooms passing through, but the walls grabbed Hermione's attention. They were filled with pictures of Dementors, they had to be Dementors. The robed creatures surrounded groups of different people. In some of the captured moments, the humans were already on the ground, a whitish color rising just above them.

"Are those chains?"

Hermione hadn't been the only one enraptured with the paintings. Bill and Theo were each examining a side, Theo's voice the one to pull her from her study. He was further down, his eyes squinting as he studied something. Hermione walked down to him, studying the section he was at. Sure enough, the people in the groups here were clustered together, bound by black loops around their ankles.

"This isn't the same as the ones further up," she whispered.

Bill laid a hand on her shoulder. "Do you know what this means? There isn't enough evidence to suggest Dementor's used these parts as nest's. They've always been considered a European problem."

Yes, but the pictures here changed that perception. If Hermione was deducing correctly, the ruling party of that time found a way to use the Dementor's to their advantage, just as Britain had done for Azkaban.

Her magic hummed as something washed over her. Her body turned in the direction of the end of the hall. _Come, eat. End your suffering._ She moved towards the voice automatically, readied wand slipping through her fingers. It clattered to the ground, startling the two Wizards.

"Granger?" Theo called.

Then he felt it, a commanding call somewhere in his mind. It wanted him to walk with his partner. It promised to feed him, to take his hunger away. The faded mark on his arm itched, his forearm flexing in alarm. Theo shook his head, blinking hard to clear the very real feeling of empty cravings from his mind. He wasn't starving. He'd snacked earlier before coming to the temple. Why had his body been willing to follow the voice for a meal he didn't need?

Granger was still walking.

Weasley was peering at something ahead of her, his face drawn in a confused frown. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he started running. "Stop!"

Hermione hadn't felt this crippling burden of an empty stomach since her time on the run. It was all too familiar to her; the cramping stomach, the constant feeling of hunger. The voice promised her an end to this terrible feeling. She would never go hungry again, never feel the sense of hopelessness as she lay awake at night with a pain that couldn't be sated. She was almost there. _Salvation awaits. You have done well. Your sacrifice-_

Something grabbed her from behind, the voice fading as arms held her in their grasp, dragging her away. Hermione fought her attacker, swinging her legs back to get their knees, throwing her head back with enough force she heard a crunch and a pained curse. The arms around her were wiry, but the muscle holding her in place was too strong for her to break free from.

"Mione! Mione! Hermione!"

The sound of her name calmed her enough to stop fighting. The arms were still around her, the voice in her head sounding distant as she was half-carried away. Her head cleared the farther they got from the hallway, the burning ravenousness leaving in one big rush, leaving her feeling empty. She recognized Bill's arms and voice. He stopped in the main chamber.

Theo held his wand out in front of her. "Granger, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," she whispered. She shook her head. "What was that?"

Bill was shaking around her, his voice close to seething as he spat out, "The Siren's Command. It's an old curse, outlawed-"

"Because of its irresistible commands that often led to death," Hermione finished for him. She laid a hand on his arm to calm him down and glanced at Theo. "The curse was originally created as a way to capture dark creatures, but it became popular in targeting victims tainted with black magic."

Theo drew back. "I see. That explains what happened. I heard a voice, one I wanted to follow, but the mark on my arm started itching badly." He looked away. "It does that sometimes, when I'm around anything that can compel me. Some of us believe it's because of the compulsion charm woven into the magic of the mark, doesn't like the competition."

Hermione exchanged a look with Bill, wincing when she saw blood dripping from his nose. She had a feeling she was responsible for that. "Oh no! I'm so sorry." She gently dabbed at the blood with her sleeve, stopping when he jerked his head away from her with another pained grunt. "Hold still, William!"

Bill forced her hand back down. "Stop it! I'm fine! And don't call me William." He avoided Hermione's scolding gaze by turning his attention back to Theo. "That isn't common knowledge."

Theo smirked. "No one from your side tried to make a study of the marks after the war. It's not information we would have given without prompting." He looked around. "I'm surprised your Medjai hasn't come running. Weasley wasn't exactly quiet."

Hermione stepped out of Bill's arms at the mention of Ardeth, concern washing over her. "You don't think they ran into the same trap, do you? I'm confident the Siren's Command was meant for the Dementor's. It targeted hunger. Whatever the source of their strength is, the curse is likely anchored there as well."

Theo shook his head, but he kept his wand out and followed Hermione when she started walking to the right hallway. "Draco's mental shields are strong, and the Medjai are Muggles."

Bill handed Hermione her wand. "You dropped this."

She hadn't even realized it wasn't on her person anymore. Merlin, she was off her game at the worst possible time. It had started with the death of that man, and had spiraled until she was missing things, her mind scattered, her concentration shot. Her usual mental fortitude was nowhere to be found. It was extremely irritating.

The other group met them halfway down the hall. Draco held a material-bound book in his hands, thrusting it into her hands as soon as they met up. Hermione looked from him to Ardeth, and then over to the other two Medjai behind him. The aura around the group was tense. "Did you find anything?"

"Nothing pertaining to the orb," Draco told her. "There was a tile with the Medjai symbol at the end of the hall. Your betrothed traced his bloodied finger over it, and it opened for us."

Theo sighed, "That's technically in the bounds of magic if it was sealed that specifically. Didn't we tell you specifically not to do that."

Draco shrugged bad-temperley. "We were curious. We didn't find anything useful." He walked away after another glance at the book in her hands.

Theo and Bill followed after him, but Hermione held up a hand before the Medjai could move. She rubbed her thumb over the faded symbol on the books cover, glancing up at Ardeth in concern. "What did you find down there?"

Ardeth looked behind him, and then his men were moving around them and away. He grabbed one of her hands, fisting it between his hands and pressing his lips to her knuckles. "Sometimes magic is used for evil things. We know this." He sighed, "This was one of those times. Draco brought the book up for you to read. It is coded in something he called a misdirection enchantment?"

Hermione had so many questions, but the look on his face told her to leave it alone for now. He was feeling guilty, and disgusted, though at what she wasn't sure. She only knew the feeling was intense enough to make it through their betrothal bond. She had the book. She'd get her answers from there, though she wasn't sure she wanted to find out what had upset Malfoy so thoroughly.

She rose on her toes, pressing her lips gently to his. "I love you," she told him.

As intended, the words lessened the negative emotions pouring from him, replaced by an equally intense wave of warmth. "I love you too," Ardeth replied. He wrapped his arm around her, moving his lips from hers to press them to her forehead. "Once we get out of here, I will cook for you. The ring was telling me you were starving not too long ago. The chocolate from earlier was not enough."

Hermione looked away, unwilling to tell him about her mind succumbing to a curse.

* * *

Hermione stood next to Theo, looking at the symbols of Herpo the Foul that covered five sides at the end of the hall. They were at the end, no obvious room in sight, but that wasn't their problem at the moment. They had the others waiting at the beginning of the path until they were ready.

"Which do you think it will come out of?"

That was a good question. The size of each mark was the same as the one at the first temple. "I'll take any option but the floor. I can go my entire life without having the image of a giant snake jumping through a hole on the floor in my head."

"That would have been great, but now you jinxed us," Theo told her. "It's bound to come through there now. There's a law about that."

Hermione snorted, rubbing tiredly at her eyes. "I guess now's as good a time as any to find out. You want to hold the cage or say the spell?"

Theo looked up at the ceiling. "It wouldn't look well on us if we made the other two Wizard's do this part, would it?"

"I could always fudge the report," Hermione offered.

He threw her a look from the corner of his eye. "You were way too quick in offering that. Just how many rules do you break on the daily, Granger?"

She shrugged. "I'll hold the cage. You haven't done nearly as much spellcasting today."

For their safety, Hermione had them all move back to the main chamber. She hadn't ever intended for the Medjai to be close enough to the Basilisk when it appeared. Bill agreed to get them out of there if things didn't go as planned, a reluctant Ardeth agreeing to leave without a fight. She could feel the quick rush of apprehension from him but could do nothing to reassure him besides squeezing his hand.

The rooster was extremely agitated in its confined space, the cage shaking every time it jumped or flared its wings. Hermione wondered if it could feel a predator nearby. Then again, she'd be beyond angry if she'd been confined like this and moved around all day.

Hermione pointed her wand at one of the symbols. "Might as well authenticate it while we're doing this."

She let her magic free, the spell hitting Herpo the Foul's mark. All five sides slid open, their stone edges grating against the ground. She heard the hiss, tossing Theo an irritated look because it _was_ heading for them from the opening on the floor.

"Might want to look away for this," he suggested.

Hermione held the cage in front of her, turning her head to the side when the snake burst through the ground. Merlin, she was right. She could have spent her entire life never seeing that. Theo was shouting something before the Basilisk left the air, the two backing up cautiously. Bright sunlight emanated from his wand, and the rooster made a loud screeching noise. The Basilisk gave them a pain-inducing noise of its own before there was a loud thunk in front of them.

Footsteps ran towards them, many of them. Ardeth reached her first, frowning at the dead animal. He took the cage from her hands, handing it to one of his men. "That is unlike any snake I have ever come across."

Draco kicked its head lightly with the toe of his shoe. "Are you going to have to break this one down too?"

She hadn't thought about that, fighting the urge to sigh. "Yes. I can't very well leave it like this."

Theo looked at the open sides. "Do you think the entrance to the orb room is through one of these?"

Hermione grimaced. "That doesn't make sense, but where else could it be?"

Bill jogged up to them, pausing as he took in the Basilisk. "Bloody hell, how was it kept in this good condition?" He held up his hand before Hermione could answer him. "Nevermind that. You and I missed something, in the main chamber."

The something was a depiction of a crystal ball, covering the ground in the middle of the room. _How_ Hermione had missed seeing something this big escaped her, but she hadn't been the only one. The orb was foggy in the middle, leading Hermione to believe this was the Orb of Destiny. Of course, the symbolism could also be the power gathered in the orb, but she felt she was right about this.

How were they supposed to open it? She'd already scanned for hidden presses.

She crouched down, touching a finger to the middle of the orb. Power. In all the different versions of the tale, the orbs contained power. The spellweaving that must have gone into making these crystals stable enough to hold these spells would have been a massive accomplishment for that time. Hermione had her own theories on each one, but she knew it all came down to magic and knowledge. Magic, they had it in spades. It was the knowledge they were lacking, and little time to search for it.

Biting her lip, Hermione thought about the story again. The common element in each version had been storing the specific spells in the orbs. It didn't matter how it was done, only that it was. Pouring magical energy into an object wasn't a new concept. Maybe…

Figuring there was nothing left to lose, Hermione kept her finger centered on the orb. She bade her magic go into the tile, imagining it filling up an actual crystal sphere. There was no specific spell in her mind, just raw power with intent.

The ground moved beneath them, the picture of the orb separating into four as it separated to reveal a ladder leading down into black. Ardeth, who'd been keeping her in his peripherals while they discussed options, had already grabbed her and pulled her away from the moving pieces. Everyone stood back, watching until the floor stopped moving.

Bill gave her an irritated look. "We've talked about giving warning before you do something."

"It was a theory," she defended guiltily.

Theo pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm glad to see this isn't an uncommon theme with you. Do you always act spontaneously?"

"No." "Yes."

The affirmatives were given by not only Bill, but Draco and Ardeth as well. She spared them all an unimpressed scowl before removing Ardeth's arms from around her. "Yes, well, my theory was correct. Who wants to go down the ladder first?"

* * *

The orb was gone.

Hermione _knew_ the scenario of them finding the orb had been less than slim, but to be proven correct still stung. She could see where it had been housed. The platform was raised and curved inward, shallow enough to hold a circular-shaped item. It was a simple way to hold an artifact of special value, but Hermione could feel the residual magic in the air. Dolohov had needed to do something before taking it, or perhaps to discern the next location.

Bill and Draco were analyzing the scene painted on the walls. The Gods and Goddesses were watching from three of the sides, while the fourth wall detailed a scene the boys were mulling over. In it, Isis handed an orb to a man. The orb was painted to overshadow the man in the next picture, like bright light exploding around him. Next, the man was huddled on the ground, eyes firmly planted on the glowing sphere. Finally, the man was standing, his body encased in a red outline, orb held up at his side.

Whatever message this was meant to send, it wasn't a good one.

Ardeth and his men were watching from a corner, their voices low as they spoke to one another. At times, his eyes would harden, and he would speak in a whispered rush before settling again. It had been like this since they'd come back from the Medjai room she'd let go. Her fingers itched to dive into the book Draco had given her, but her priority was the orb. Then she had to take care of the Basilisk corpse. She also needed to have a discussion with Theo about how much they wanted to report to their superiors when they weren't sure who Dolohov was controlling. Her to-do list was starting to fill up.

Theo slipped next to her, his arms crossed over his chest. "What do you think it means?"

Hermione cocked her head to the side. "It could be a number of things, but I don't think the message is intended to be friendly."

"No," he agreed. "It feels like a warning."

"My thoughts exactly, but a warning against what?"

He shrugged. "Nothing that matters to us unless we get the orb back from Dolohov. Do you think we need to do what we did last time to get the next location?"

"We're dealing with a bowl this time, not a flat surface. The picture of Isis isn't angled the right way for that trick to work again." Hermione leaned back, casting her eyes to the ceiling in contemplation, and blinked. "That's a big red circle."

It was a perfectly round shape, painted blood red, and positioned over the stone platform. "Draco," she called out. "How was divination practiced in Ancient Egypt?"

Draco stopped his perusal of the wall, glancing over in surprise. "You don't know?"

"Don't sound too shocked," Hermione grumbled. "I dropped the subject in third year."

"Right." He walked over to her. "Divination was treated as ritualistic magic back then, and most ritual magic relied heavily on the times of day, positions of the stars, time of year. Most divining would have been done at the break of dawn, due to the creative possibilities of a new day. "

"So you could say if Divination had a deity, it would have been Amun-Ra," Hermione guessed.

Draco's lips twisted in a thoughtful frown. "Sure, if Isis didn't exist as the Goddess over all magic, I would say that. He was known as the God of the sun and time. But that's pure speculation, and unfounded seeing as Isis was the worshiped Goddess for Witches and Wizards."

Hermione pointed up.

Draco glanced up, eyebrows shooting up in astonishment. "There's no mistaking that symbol." He looked back at her. "You think?"

Hermione lifted her wand. "There's only one way to find out. Ready? You and Bill will be able to decipher what comes up faster than I can."

Theo looked back and forth between them. "Your teamwork when you two can put aside your differences is astounding, did you know that? I'm almost sure I followed most of that."

They waited with quiet anticipation as Hermione positioned herself at Isis's picture. With a muttered word, light was shining from Hermione's wand, directed at the red symbol of Amun-Ra. When her spell met the pigment, the red deepened, dazzling brightness shooting straight down into the pedestal.

"Râ-Kedet," Draco mumbled as he looked down.

Hermione canceled the spell, the light slowly leaving the way it came. "What does that mean?"

Ardeth rubbed a hand over his chin. "Râ-Kedet. That is not a name one hears anymore except among scholars."

"The lost city of Rhakotis," Bill explained. "That's going to be a problem."

Theo scowled. "When you mean lost, you mean its location is unknown? Where would we start looking for an ancient city?"

Draco scoffed, "Oh, the location isn't unknown. Where it's located is the problem."

"It's been a long day," Hermione bit out. "If I'm kept in suspense any longer, I will start hexing people."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, Granger. The problem is Rhakotis is buried under modern-day Alexandria."

"Oh," Hermione whispered.

Ardeth glanced at the magicals in the room, taking in their suddenly wary faces. "What is it?"

"Alexandria is in control of a crime family," Hermione told him. "The government leaves them alone, and the ICW has never been able to hold a case against them. The Statute of Secrecy is basically a joke, but the Muggles never speak a word about it." She sighed, "Only those born in Alexandria can be within its borders. Outside magic is outlawed."

Theo rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. "The ICW is _not_ welcome under any circumstances. Granger and I will be taken prisoner as soon as they know we're there, _and they always know_."

No truer words had ever been spoken.

* * *

**AN: You guys, I couldn't with this chapter. I got to the Basilisk scene a long time ago, and what immediately popped into my mind was a scenario that was basically Hermione and Theo playing whack-a-mole with a killer snake. I had to put this away until my Muse was ready to concede and move on. That took a while, but hey, a little over 8000 words! That's twice as long as these chapters have been so far. **

**I am terrible at answering reviews on this site. I know it. Just know that I appreciate every single one I get! I respond to Tumblr, and recently Twitter, more often so check me out under MWolfe13**

**As I mentioned above, I hope everyone is doing the best they can under these trying times. I know some countries are worse off than others, so everyone just do their best! I am available to talk if anyone needs it! **

**Until next time!  
**


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